


Hatoful High School Host Club

by ADashOfStarshine (ADashOfInsanity)



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: Gen, M/M, Parody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-03
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-23 21:53:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 67,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2557052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADashOfInsanity/pseuds/ADashOfStarshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Due to the disgraceful behaviour in the library, Nageki is in desperate need of somewhere quiet to study. Thinking he has at last found solace, he stumbles into a seemingly unused music room. Little to say he is not prepared for what he discovers there.</p><p>Ouran High School Host Club x Hatoful Boyfriend parody. A joke AU that got thought out far too much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to the Host Club!

If St PigeoNations’ facilities were meant to be the best then why did they not have a single room for quiet study? Nageki frowned into his pile of books as he carefully ascended yet another spiralling staircase. The library was so noisy it was atrocious. Students were _eating_ in there. Eating, laughing and _drawing on the books_ … If Nageki had any sort of power over them he would set things straight at once. However he was merely a scholarship student and a small unintimidating one at that.  He had no voice here. 

Managing to get to the landing, the little mourning dove set his sights on the series of doors ahead. He couldn’t hear anybirdie up here, which was some relief.  Well if no birdie was using these music rooms then there must be a table in there on which he could read. Nageki sighed and dragged his books towards the closest music room. There was no music coming from within so it should be-

He was just about to turn the handle when suddenly a florally-scented breeze seemed to blow the door inwards, turning silently upon its hinges. Nageki stared as what seemed to be real rose petals fluttered from the room, several hitting him in the face, catching on his unkempt feathers and spectacles.  Staring, alarmed, he wondered what kind of freak wind this was to cause a spontaneous floral cascade. This was like of which you saw in Pretty Coore! This couldn’t be-  Somehow, without quite knowing why he had done so, he took a step into the weirdly breezy room.

_“Welcome!”_

Before him was a selection of elegantly groomed birds wearing charming smiles and pristine school uniforms. They were sat or lounged over a sofa and a couple of armchairs. For all intents and purposes it looked like they were waiting for him, but that was ludicrous… What were they doing here? They had no instruments and didn’t look like a male vocal group so what were they doing in this music room?

“Welcome!” cried a fantail who had seemingly turned his school blazer into a tail coat, “To the Hatoful High School Host Club!” He paused.

“You’re…a little decrepit to be wandering these halls… Are you that rare breed of honoured commoner known as the Scholarship Student?”

There were coos of interest from the assembled gentlebirds. Undoubtedly they were gentlebirds, Nageki thought, nobirdie else had that much time on their hands to preen their feathers so much that they sparkled. Feeling distinctly uncomfortable under their stares, Nageki nodded and tried to inch out the door once more.  However he found his retreat blocked by another fantail, this one wore glasses but didn’t look too different to the first.

“Salutations, brave champion of the common world!”

Nageki began inching to the left but the fantail followed. He could fly away but he didn’t want to leave his books to the mercy of these absurd noblebirds.

“A wild rose from an unkempt border smells just as sweet does it not?”

“That’s not how that quote goes,” Nageki piped up, still inching left, eyes fixed on the bespectacled fantail.

“Ah, true! Clever as well as brave…we shall indeed welcome you to our wonderful abode!”

“Not so fast Sakazaki,” snapped the other fantail, “You can’t just let any old riff-raff use our-“

Nageki flinched as two more birds fluttered over to stare at him. They were both button quails, the one with lighter plumage certainly hiding behind the darker. It was rather difficult for him, as, being both so round; the lighter had to show themself to successfully peek over the other.

“Are all commoners so very brave Hitori?”

“Scholarship students are,” replied the quail called Hitori. So the friendlier fantail was Sakazaki, this dark quail was Hitori… Why did he need to know their names? He wanted to leave and never come back to this travesty of a music room. Hopefully by the time he had backed all the way round the room he could back out the door and down the stairs.

“I was just looking for a quiet place to study,” he pleaded, his back-pedalling gaining speed, fear making his heavy load suddenly seem feather light. The fantail was still strutting after him and all the others kept staring! He just needed to get out here and-

CRASH

Nageki took flight in shock, abandoning his books as the two quails shot skywards in horror. Landing upon one of his books, Nageki took in the shattered remains of what would have undoubtedly been a very fine vase. Oh no! This was a fancy school with fancy noblebirds who undoubtedly owned fancy vases that cost a ludicrously fancy amount of money! How was he going to tell Hiyoko and Ryouta about this? They already worked so hard and all he could do was spent their money on school essentials… He couldn’t tell them to give up more money! Still, he was surrounded by shocked and angry faces.

“I’ll pay you back!” he cried, “We can work something out, right?”

“Hohoho, I’m sure we can.”

Nageki almost took off in fright again as a somebirdie spoke, appearing seemingly from nowhere behind him. He turned to reveal a large partridge looming over him. The smugness and sheer creepiness emanating from this one bird was enough to make Nageki wish he had never hatched, let alone set foot in this room. He wouldn’t be surprised if that over-stuffed sofa was full of the feathers of the last students to knock over something precious!

“Your fear is understandable,” said the partridge, “However I will let you off with the very generous payment of only one of your lungs and of course your liver.”

He drew a meat cleaver from goodness knows where and began to eye the edge speculatively. Nageki wanted to sink through the floor and keep going to the centre of the earth.  Why was somebirdie like that let into a school? Why wasn’t anybirdie saying anything against this? He glanced at the other noblebirds. Anybirdie? Anybirdie at all? The bespectacled fantail winked at him as he caught Nageki’s eye. Nageki flinched before he was able to think better of it. He would take that flirty peacock-dove over the homicidal partridge any day. 

The flirty one seemed to have realised this.

“Ah not so fast Iwamine,” he said, stepping forwards, “I think it would be a terrible waste to harm even one feather of this lovely bird. Sakuya, what do you think? Even if she’s rather rough round the edges, she’s certainly a cute little mademoiselle, no?”

The bespectacled dove winked at Nageki again, and Nageki decided to take it in his stride. What did it matter if they called him a girl if it meant he wasn’t going to lose his innards?

“Hmph,” Sakuya the other fantail replied, pacing back and forth. He fixed Nageki with a sceptical eye before, with a sudden snap of his beak

“Sakazaki, take her glasses off.”

“I need those to see!” Nageki protested. If he backed away now, he would have a knife between his wings so there was no choice but to let Sakazaki take his glasses from him. Everything went blurry. Nageki thought he might see Sakazaki stepping away from him, then something flashed and...

There was silence.

Not a wing rustled or a bird cooed before suddenly, seemingly all as one, multiple voices sighed:

“So cute…”

“Erm…” Everything was still very fuzzy which quite frankly only made things more alarming. He wouldn’t make the stairs like this and he didn’t know if the knife-wielding bird was still behind him. Somehow ahead of him, he heard a clicking sound.

“Sakazaki!” That was Sakuya the fantail speaking.

“Oui!”

 “Get my professional groomer! Hitori, a proper uniform! Iwamine…if you could please get contact lenses if it’s not too much trouble. ” There was the sound of birds taking wing yet Nageki was still lost. He turned on the spot wondering where everybirdie was going as the other quail asked:

“What should I do Mr Le Bel Shirogane?”

“You...” Sakuya paused for a moment, “You pick that thing of yours off the floor and finish off the strawberry cake.”

“Yes sir! Thank you sir!”

When the quail seemed to have departed too, Nageki thought it safe to wonder what was going on aloud this time.

“Please could you tell me-“ He was interrupted.

“Count yourself blessed oh champion of commoners! Instead of being divulging of your necessary parts you have been honoured with a position in our beloved host club!” Sakuya seemed to be making a grand announcement however Nageki simply could not see it. The wannabe-peacock had taken his glasses away!

“Weep in gratitude, to pay off your grand debt, henceforth you shall be… _our maid_!”

As he was suddenly ushered into a changing room, the door to which had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Nageki only had one thought. At the risk of sounding cliché, he had a very bad feeling about this. Starting a new school was one clutch of eggs… yet this host club was a new spring entirely!

 


	2. Starting Today: You are a Maid!

Why. Why did St PigeoNations Academy for the Wealthy, Gifted and Downright Absurd, produce maid outfits that matched their students’ uniforms? Or was that just this demonic host club and their fiendish ways? Nageki shivered a little as he attempted to reach for the ribbons on the back of his dress. The problem with this host club, well one of many, was their ability to make sudden rose petal-filled winds happen. They were alright in their blazers but…Nageki wished he could have his winter plumage a little earlier this year.

“Are you alright in there mon amie?” called the expectant fan tail. Nageki knew it must be half an hour before the host club opened if Yuuya had come to check on him. (He now knew the fantail’s name after receiving contact lenses from him yesterday. The cleaver-wielding medical student had decided not to hand them over himself, to which Nageki was rather glad.)

“I am fine. This is not the first time I have worn women’s clothing.” Nageki‘s reply was followed by a short whimper of frustration. He strained his wings a little more but he was still unable to tie a bow behind himself. He couldn’t tell if it was awkward position or the embarrassment that was making him fumble. He needed to get a grip. Ryouta did this all the time and made it look easy.

“Ah.”  Yuuya’s reply seemed rather abrupt considering the love he seemed to possess for his own voice.  Nageki frowned, was something the matter? They needed to get this ordeal over with so he could make sure his organs would still be his at the end of the day. What was there to go ‘ah’ about?

“Do you want a little help?” Yuuya seemed to have his confidence back with an unnatural rapidity, “Step out a little and I’ll help you get the fiddly parts.”

“Alright.”

Ever so slowly, Nageki drew back the changing room curtain as another freak flower petal blizzard erupted behind him. After peeking nervously about the curtain, Nageki fixed his gaze on the floor. He must look so bizarre, if only Ryouta could see him now, he’d probably laugh…

“Mon dieu! Look at you! The little rose bud has become the most beautiful of blooms!” Before Nageki could protest to his statement, Yuuya had whirled him round before freezing in a pose not unlike that of a pair of ballroom dancers.

“I thought you were going to help me,” Nageki didn’t bother to keep the accusation out of his tone.

“I already have! Watch your back little maid.” Nageki felt his back and was astonished to find a large bow there where previously there had been naught but loose ribbons.

“How did you do that?”

“A sexy and luxurious bird never reveals his secrets. Just like we can keep the matter of your masculinity a secret a little while longer mon amie. It should be quite the pleasure to see the surprised looks on all those noble-birdies’ faces as they realise their mistakes, don’t you think?”

Was Yuuya not a noblebird then? Nageki had to admit he did rather like the idea of hearing the indignant squawks of those he was supposed to feel ‘honoured’ to be in the presence of. He had thought about this a lot since the encounter of yesterday, especially after Ryouta had come home from work in exactly the sort of outfit he was now wearing. He and Hiyoko had commented on Nageki’s newly preened feathers and the absence of his glasses.  However Nageki could not bring himself to inform them he had been press-ganged into becoming a maid for a group of very shady gentlebirds… and Yuuya. Who, especially considering all the contemptuous looks he got from Sakuya, probably wasn’t one after all.

“What do you say?” Yuuya prompted as Nageki’s gaze strayed from the floor to him.

“I think that would be amusing, if you wish to help me.”

“Of course!” Yuuya preened a few of Nageki’s feathers so he looked a little less ruffled, “I shall be your guide to this ludicrously exciting world! To start off, my top tip!” He pointed his wing at Nageki.

“The first rule for being a host!”

“I’m a maid.”

Yuuya didn’t let this deter him.

“Play to your inner beauty, and it will naturally shine through on the outside! Be the cutest host-“

“Maid.” Nageki interjected.

“-you can be by being yourself! Your job is to make smiles happen so smile yourself and let your inward radiance light up the faces about you!”

Nageki frowned and adjusted his head-piece into place. It would be better to know what he actually had to do as a maid. Surely no birdie was expecting him to be charming; he just had to perform chores whilst the host club was running. It would be nice to know the specifics. Was he serving drinks, cleaning up after people or taking coats? All he knew was that he was a maid and he had to wear this ridiculously frilly garment. Well, maybe he simply needed to find someone who spoke less and said more. Not that Yuuya wasn’t likable; however there was a matter of business here, business that allowed him to keep his liver.

He excused himself the best he could before retreating back into the music room. If only he had come in at this time of day, he would have known this wasn’t a mere practice room. The entire area had been decked out in neatly laid tables, sofas, armchairs and floral arrangements. It looked like someone had decided they would prefer it if their garden parties were inside for a change.  Nageki avoided the many vases and flower pots with an almost panicked air. He hoped his maid service, or whatever this was, would end at some point. If he broke something else he might be doomed forever to serve these bizarre birds.

“Ah, maid! You are early. Keep up such exemplary behaviour.” Sakuya’s extravagant tail feathers were obscuring one of the quails standing behind him. Nageki only knew of the quail’s existence because it seemed the pair never went without the other. That and the glimpse of red and gold beneath the fan. Nanaki seemed to be carrying something large with him. Not that it mattered to Nageki what anybirdie else did. He just had to get this over and done with.

“What is it that I shall be doing?” he asked Sakuya. The fantail’s eyes were fixed upon him and that fact was not making him feel any less uneasy in these skirts. As Sakuya seemed to inspect him, beak to tail feathers, Nageki inwardly considered that he would probably even take that horrid library over the position he was in right now. Constant indignation was preferable to being appreciated like a table ornament. At least Yuuya had tried to help, this was…humiliating. Yes, he would rather be around those disrespectful students in the library any day.

“You shall be helping the guests find their hosts of choice,” Sakuya declared, “Brewing fresh tea when required, watering the flower arrangements to keep them in their best condition, sweeping the entry way, cleaning up after anybirdie who makes a mess of our arrangements, taking notes at event planning sessions, sorting the refuse into recycling and non-recycling and making sure any disappearances are not deemed the host club’s fault.”

“Disapp-“ Nageki suddenly realised what he’d been distracted from, “That is a lot to do!”

Could he manage all of that without getting exhausted? He didn’t want to pass out on the music-room floor but there was no way these noblebirds would accept his ill health as a reason to work less.

“Those are the requirements of a good maid. If you are too small for heavy lifting, get Sakazaki to help you. It will put him in his place.”

Yuuya definitely wasn’t a noblebird then.  Yet hadn’t he called Sakuya his brother yesterday? There must be some sort of family politics going on here that Nageki certainly wasn’t going to get involved in. As far as he was concerned, Yuuya was kind, though a bit of a flirt, and Sakuya needed to sit down for some real-life lessons. Not that you would hear those words escaping his beak. It was probably better to ask:

“Where can I find cleaning supplies? Also where is your kitchen?”

“Ask Sakazaki. Why do you assume I would know such things?”

By the time Nageki had been given a guided tour of the extensive set of rooms that belonged to host club, the area was open for business. Yuuya helped him brew tea for the first few sets before excusing himself in French and dashing off to greet some customers.  Nageki eyed the exemplary tea trays and sighed as he lifted the first. The refreshments on this tray looked like they were worth more than his house.  Well, here went nothing.

The music room filled very quickly it seemed. Nageki carefully arranged tea and biscuits on a vacant table as everybirdie was greeted by the jubilant hosts. There seemed to be a theme going on for today’s guests for unlike yesterday they were all wearing suits with flowers in their lapels that matched the décor. Once the initial greeting was over, each host seemed to lead a small gaggle of admirers off to their parts of the room. Well, apart from one. Nageki’s tea sets to pass round included a single cup on a saucer to be given to whoever was by the door. This happened to be the terrifying partridge from yesterday, who he now knew was called Iwamine Shuu. He stood a little way from the doorway, clipboard balanced upon one wing, pen in the other.

“Your tea sir,” Nageki offered him the cup and saucer. He took them but not before revealing the contents of his clipboard in the action. He was making notes about students? Nageki could definitely see two of the hosts listened on there and all the female names must be the customers. Somehow Nageki couldn’t believe he was taking notes on customer satisfaction. Come to think of it, everything about him was rather disconcerting. It wasn’t just that he had asked for Nageki’s internal organs (which was beyond disconcerting) but he also seemed too old to be a student…

“Are you a teacher Master?” he asked tentatively. The partridge tore his gaze from a pair of rock doves who had flown over to Sakuya’s sofa arrangement and instead stared at him.

“No.  Why do you feel the need to ask questions?”

Scary! Nageki shivered a little, however that didn’t seem like an order to go away. He actually looked curious…albeit in a petrifying fashion as if he intended to pluck off Nageki’s every feather to use as down.

“I just thought…you look a little old to be a student Master. However if you were a teacher, you wouldn’t have to participate in-in such things.”

“True.” Shuu’s gaze went back to the rock doves, “I am a teaching assistant, apprenticed so to speak to the greatest mind in this school. He also so happens to have a sense of humour.”

So perhaps teaching assistants had to get involved in club activities? Shuu didn’t sound remotely happy about his situation.

“If you require any more information, I will have to start charging you in flight feathers.”

“I am fine!” Nageki trilled nervously, “I must serve the others now!” 

He hurried away, the partridge chuckling behind him.

No birdie needed more drinks or biscuits at this early time of day so Nageki settled for carrying extra biscuits with one wing and a feather duster in the other. He wondered vaguely whose feathers those were before starting to idly dust about the windows to keep up the appearance of being busy. He couldn’t sweep the entrance without passing Shuu and all of his other duties didn’t seem applicable right now. Perhaps he would water the plants on his second walk round. At least he was being left to hisown devices. Yes he was getting stares but no birdie was talking to him so it was fine. Nageki tried to convince himself they were staring at him because mourning doves were rare in Japan and not because he was in this horrible dress. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just not what he was used to. If Ryouta could do this every day so could he.

He approached the corner, where a wide arched window looked over a fountain in the school grounds. There were a selection of beanbags and low tables there, as if those there did not warrant armchairs. Nageki could understand why this might the case. He however decided to ignore the little assembly in favour of dusting the window. Hopefully they were too caught up in conversation to-

“Ah! Have you all met our Meek and Beautiful maid?”

Or not.

Yuuya got up off his beanbag, gesturing for Nageki to come closer. Resigned to his fate, Nageki drew closer, facing the stares of the five ladies Yuuya had with him. Attempting a smile, he gave a little curtsey and shyly offered them biscuits.

“I’m honoured to meet you Mistresses. If there’s anything you need, please let me know”

_“So cute!”_

Nageki wasn’t sure how many of ladies had gasped that but they were all staring up at him with round eyes and beaks agape.  It seemed they really did think he was cute…

“You’re-You’re very kind.” He curtseyed again.

They seemed transfixed, their gaze had become glassy and the dove closest to him had her phone out…was she trying to take a photograph.

“Ah-ah!” interjected Yuuya, coming to the rescue in just the nick of time, “Please mademoiselle, our Meek and Beautiful maid is brand new to our lovely club. I’m sure there will be photographs later.” He smiled and reached under his beanbag with one wing.

“If you like cute photos, well… how about some pictures of Sakuya in junior high! Isn’t he _just so adorable_?”

“SAKAZAKI!”

The resultant joyful cooing and enraged squawks gave Nageki plenty of time to slip away unnoticed. He carefully wound his way through beanbags and tea tables, managing to escape by fluttering up onto the windowsill then back down again. Gripping the feather duster in his beak, he fixed his head piece and then carried on as he had before, dusting nothing and balancing biscuits.  Yuuya would be able to deal with the fall out; he looked like he had experience with such things. Nageki was here to cause as little trouble as possible so he simply wasn’t going to get involved.  Yuuya really should have expected such a reaction and Nageki knew this despite it being his first real session. These hosts were certainly characters…

“Nageki!”

He turned. Waving at him from a sofa that looked far too large for him sat Nanaki. Beside him was Hitori and between the two button quails… What was that? Nageki trod closer and saw that for some reason the quails had a plush toy that was taller than either of them. The ladies about them, on ornate chairs or armchairs, were staring at the pair misty-eyed, also cooing in a way that implied something adorable was present. Considering they were mostly rock doves, there was a sparrow amongst them; however the guests were much larger than the two little quails. Perhaps that was why they needed such a large toy beside them. By the way Nanaki clung to it, the toy was likely his.

Hitori served tea to their guests as Nageki inquired

 “Do you need something Master?”

“Yes!” exclaimed Nanaki. He was teary, as if the thought of what he wanted both cheered and terrified him.

“He was in the washing machine yesterday so you didn’t meet him, but you should now. The King wants to say hello to you!”

He held up the large cuddly thing with both wings.

“The King would like to ask whether the mourning dove maid thinks that the King is cute. Hitori created him!”

On closer inspection the plush toy was a large yellow bird with a fluffy fabric instead of any semblance of feathers.  Like Nanaki, the King also seemed to be quite teary, though that may just be how its eyes caught the light. It was dressed in a crown befitting of its name and a long red cape with a trim that reminded Nageki of Christmas. The cape was also rather sparkly and was covered in stars and medals. Was this a character of Nanaki’s imagination? Well he had said Hitori had made it.

“The King is very cute,” Nageki commented, leaning over to get a better look, “Master Hitori is clearly very talented at creating things.”

“The King wonders if the mourning dove likes cute things?” Why was Nanaki talking like that? The ladies were watching, as was Hitori, so he probably had to play along.

“Yes I do,” he gave a smile and decided to offer the King a biscuit. Nanaki gasped.

“The King is very grateful of your gift!” He was the one who ate the biscuit however.

Nageki dared glance at the quails’ guests. They were now staring at him with the same transfixed expression of the ladies at Yuuya’s beanbag camp. It seemed best to move on.

“I have to go and serve the other Masters and Mistresses,” he said with an apologetic curtsey.

“We understand, thank you.” That was the first time he had heard Hitori speak today. There was something about his voice that was distinctly familiar; however Nageki had no recollection why. Supposing he was imagining things, he carried on about the room. The nearest cluster of chairs was in the centre of the room. That was where Sakuya sat in state surrounded by admirers. Nageki noticed there was only one normal looking dove amongst them; they were mostly birds with vibrant plumage or a thoroughly foreign look about them. Only one rock dove sat in their midst and even she had something paler about her feathers. Did Sakuya only talk to higher classes of birds or foreigners?

As he decided to switch his feather duster for a watering can on a nearby table, he heard a guest ask:

“How do you keep your tail feathers so beautiful Sakuya?”

“Pure-blooded fantails such as me have naturally-kempt feathers, though when I must please such delicate ladies and princesses such as yourselves. Well, I brought my professional groomer with me from France. A Le Bel cannot travel without proper staff.”

Nageki had no patience for rich snobbery so carried on watering the nearby plants without comment. The assembly about Sakuya discussed feather care for a moment before another lady dove chipped in:

“You must get a lot of beans on Legumentines Sakuya.”

“Of course, I do. Though a Le Bel only accepts beans of the highest quality. In fact a majority-“

“- Were sent by me!”  Sakuya turned. Nageki wondered why he bothered. Who else was it going to be?  Yuuya had arrived, his little gaggle of admirers on his tail.

“Sakazaki, do not flatter your-“

“Aw Sakuya, you’re so cute when you blush. Isn’t he cute mademoiselles?”  His little group began cooing and whispering excitedly. Nageki was sure he heard something like ‘sweet brotherly love’ come from one of them. Sakuya glared at her and she shrunk backwards, giggling slightly. Nageki merely sighed. Well, he wasn’t getting involved in-

“You, maid! Dispose of this trash, that is your job!”

Why him?!

Well he supposed he could stop this becoming violent. So what to do? Yuuya did look like he was doing his job. Those fans were obviously here because they liked watching the two brothers fight with each other.

“Master Yuuya, I’m sure Master Sakuya appreciates your enthusiasm deep…very deep down.  True pearls are only found on deep ocean beds after all. Please, I believe your time should be spent with the lovely Mistresses who have come all this way to see you.”

“When you put it that way,” Yuuya sighed, “I have done a disservice to our lovely guests. Thank you Nageki… I shall heed your advice at once!” He winked and fluttered back to his beanbag collection, fans in tow. Nageki watched him go before turning back to the plant he was attempting to water before that whole mess happened.

“You did it.”  Sakuya sounded surprised.

“You did tell me to Master.” He may have been quite blunt but he didn’t particularly like Sakuya. He had technically been polite. Nageki adjusted the sprinkle nozzle on the can and managed to get a better flow

“Yes but Sakazaki is a persistent mongrel…  You are clearly quite talented.”

“Thank you Master,” Nageki gave a curtsey, still determinately look at the plant however, “If you’ll excuse me.”

He didn’t wait for approval and merely hurried off to the corner of the room he had yet to visit.

That turned out to be a grave mistake. There under an arch of what looked like artificial flowers, sat Shuu, who had vacated his position by the door in favour of setting up a make-shift desk in the very corner of the room. There were three flushed yet nervous doves sitting before the large partridge as he typed away on the computer. He appeared to speaking very softly to them, which was only making them blush harder and occasionally jump. There was a pot of red daisy-like flowers a little way from the desk. Nageki obediently went to water it. If he did that, then perhaps he wouldn’t have to get too close.

Upon approaching, Nageki decided to redefine what he thought of as being ‘too close’. As he watered the daisies he heard the soft murmuring coming from the desk with greater clarity. He was sure he caught at least three instructions on how to cut open different parts of the body and something about the sensitivities of eyes.  He shivered yet the ladies seemed to be drawn closer to the creepy lab assistant the more he talked. Didn’t they understand he sounded like a psychopath? Well…maybe they were into that sort of thing… Nageki shivered a little. He had seen enough doctors to want nothing to do with that bird. Why was he even allowed in here?

Nageki spotted two more daisy pots and crossed over to them. One of the birds near Shuu seemed to have found the courage to pipe up.

“I-I heard you work closely with Doctor Kawara in the Biology department.”

Kawara? Like Ryouta? Were they related? Nageki would have to ask Ryouta later, there was no way he was asking Shuu.

“Doctor Kawara is a very busy and important individual do not bother him with any pettiness,” Shuu sounded irritable so Nageki made a swift exit back the way he came. Somebirdie may not have a good survival instinct but he certainly possessed one. What should he do now? It still didn’t seem like anyone wanted fresh pots of tea brewed or more food. He didn’t want to get wrapped up in any arguments or have to talk to that toy again so he needed to look sufficiently busy so as to not draw any attention.

“Erm, Nageki?”

He turned.  A fantail pigeon, not unlike Yuuya and Sakuya, was standing before him. She was speckled with brown unlike the brothers; however she looked no less extravagant and therefore cut an intimidating figure.

“Yes Mistress?” Another curtsey. She glanced to the side, seemingly bashful. Two other birds approached her, a pair of identical finches, perhaps twins… What did they want with him? He was just a maid, didn’t they want to see a host?

“Would you like me to gain the attention of the host for you? Or perhaps a different drink?”

“No,” the fantail said with a little chuckle, “We actually wondered, since you’re so cute… Would you like to take tea with us? We have found a spare table.”

“I-“ Didn’t they realise he wasn’t a host?

“I would love to Mistress, however I must apologise. I am bound to do my duties. You would have to ask Master Sakuya-“

No sooner had he said that than the fantail had strode straight over to Sakuya. Without further ado she moved between the sofa and coffee table and demanded:

“Sakuya, darling, we want to borrow your maid!”

“Pardon?!”

Nageki wished to sink through the floor and disappear as he drew the heads of the entire room.  There was silence for a moment before somebirdie at the quails’ table piped up:

“Are all the hosts going to take turns as a maid?”

With that it seemed chaos had been let loose over the once-sedate music room.

“I want to see Sakuya as a maid! It would-”

“-and Nanaki!”

“- gladly dress up for you mon amie!”

“Is there a rota?”

“Hitori I’m scared, everyone is shouting at -!”

“Why isn’t Nageki being a host with all of you?!”

“I want a maid café themed day!”

“-not shouting at you.”

“- dress up next and call everyone Master and Mistress!”

“Nageki is the cutest boy in a maid dress I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen a lot!”

“Boy?!”  The last remark had been squawked by Sakuya, plunging the room into a stunned and rather awkward silence. Sakuya stood staring from Nageki to the guests around him, then to the other hosts who were all wearing rather awkward smiles. Nageki was fairly sure they already knew, or perhaps Yuuya had told them, and merely kept Sakuya in the dark. Now the Lord of the Host Club was looking rather foolish in front of all of their guests.

“I…” Sakuya’s tail puffed up to its full extent in a display of indignation, “I… I suppose he deserves a trial session. Henrietta…you may borrow the maid for today and…”

He glared at Nageki as if this was all his fault that he was wearing a frilly dress and pretending to be what he wasn’t

“I do not care how I dress. I am here to do my job,” Nageki informed him dryly.

Sakuya was looking very ruffled in his embarrassment. He rustled a wing and Yuuya was at his side in an instant.

“Sakazaki go help him into a proper uniform!”

“Is there going to be another maid?” taunted Henrietta the fantail. She seemed to have realised what had happened. The way she spoke seemed to imply she was trying to contain her laughter. Nageki wondered if Sakuya allowed himself to be bullied by her because she was also a foreign-sounding fantail, probably of a very noble status. Whatever she was, or could do, it looked like he was getting a promotion.  There were murmurs about the room as the guests wondered about this change in circumstance.

“Yes, of course there is!” Sakuya huffed, “Just…Sakazaki move! You aren’t here to idle!”

So that was why, half an hour later, Nageki was ushered back into the room resplendent in shirt and waistcoat. Yuuya hadn’t managed to find a shirt or a jacket that actually fit him, so they had contented themselves with the idea that the too-long sleeves looked cute and the blue flower-patterned waistcoat (which did fit) would distract Henrietta by bring out the colour about Nageki’s eyes. He was given a white flower:

“To bring out your pure hearted innocence mon ami!”

Before being attacked with a comb and ushered back into the music room to face judgement. 

What a judgement it was. As soon as he had taken one step into the room, Nageki felt as if every eye had suddenly switched its focus onto him.  He bowed and there was a low cooing of appreciation. Blushing, he hurried away from Yuuya to the table at the back where the intimidating fantail was waiting with two cups of tea and a plate of biscuits.

“So nice to see you properly attired Nageki.”

“Thank you for choosing me Miss Henrietta. I am honoured.”  So, he was a host now. He had seen all the other birds acting as hosts yet… The idea of being charming was certainly a very intimidating one. All the others seemed to have some sort of charm about them. Sakuya was stuck up, Yuuya was flirty, and Nanaki and Hitori were cute and protective in turn. Shuu was…Shuu. So what did he have that made him particularly host-worthy?  How was he supposed to pass this test if he’d never had the notes, never attended the classes in the first place! There had been no classes at all!”

“So, I heard from Mr Sakazaki, you’re a scholarship student Nageki,” Henrietta began. Nageki nodded before realising a proper answer was in order.

“Yes Miss, I have only just joined the school.”

“So why are you here?” asked Henrietta over her teacup, “Why have you come to work at the host club…apart from the good pay.”

 _‘Because I don’t want my liver stolen and eaten by a psychopathic partridge and my feathers used for quill pens and pillows_ ’ didn’t seem like the kind of answer she wanted. He was a host now. He was supposed to be charming! No one had ever told him how to do this… No book had ever taught him how to talk to ladies or anyone for that matter. He had come to this school with one hundred percent on his entry exams so he must know an answer for this somewhere.

_“Play to your inner beauty, and it will naturally shine through on the outside! Be the cutest host you can be by being yourself! Your job is to make smiles happen so smile yourself and let your inward radiance light up the faces about you!”_

Yuuya’s advice! Yet what did that mean? How could he charm someone by being himself? He was a small socially awkward bird who preferred a library to a party. How was he supposed to make another smile? Well, if being yourself truly was the key…

“I fear I will not often be in school Miss Henrietta, I often get very ill so…so,” Now to try being charming. He fixed a small smile on his face and prayed it would not waver.

“So I want to use what time I have to make other people happy. To make other people smile, that’s why I joined this club.”

“But you got a turned into a maid?”

“I do not care what my position is. If someone as small and weak as me can cause others happiness, I am content with any role.”

“Oh you are just the cutest!” She cooed in delight, “Tell me more about yourself! What do your parents do?”

Well at least this was an easier question.

“I’m sorry Miss…My parents died when I was very small so I cannot remember them. I hope, I hope wherever they are now they are proud of me, getting into this school, making people feel better by working here.”

Henrietta made a pained sound as a pair of guests sitting nearby in Yuuya’s beanbag collection gave exaggerated sighs of pity.

“Oh Nageki, you poor darling, I’m sure they’re proud of you sweet little thing,” fussed Henrietta, “Tell me, who do you live with if not with your parents, oh, and what sort of food do you like? I must bring you something next time I visit!”

Nageki faithfully relayed off his living conditions to an increasing audience who cooed and ‘aw’d’ over his sad state of being and apparent loneliness. They called him things like ‘sweetie’, ‘angel’ and ‘little chick’ and made sure he had all the tea he wanted. In all honesty it was rather overwhelming.  He hadn’t received such attention at the orphanage…even Hiyoko didn’t fuss this much. Rich birds were a great effort to talk to yet he somehow managed to keep up a stream of ‘cute’ and ‘tragic’ replies throughout the afternoon. By the end he felt utterly exhausted. He was looking forward to his nest a great deal by the time Henrietta eventually departed, promising him all the ‘commoners’ millet’ she could lay her hands on.

“What did I say, he’s a natural!” Yuuya cried, hugging a slumped Nageki from behind as the doors closed behind the last guest.  Sakuya merely ‘hmphed’ and that seemed to decide that.

From that moment onwards, Nageki Fujishiro was a member of  St PigeoNation’s  esteemed Hatoful High School Host Club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on Hatoful High School Host Club!
> 
> Nageki adjusts to the day-to-day life of an elegant host, under the careful, if not excessive, tutoring of his loyal upperclassmen. However is tragedy soon to strike? A sudden visitor proclaims the Host Club to be cursed by an evil spell. Can the hosts get to bottom of this curse before their luck turns sour?


	3. Attack of the Fabulous Manager!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sudden visitor. A fateful prophecy. A...broom? Will dark times fall upon the Hatoful High School Host Club or are these portents just the mumblings of one small madbird?

_“The time has come for my dramatic entrance! All shall tremble and applaud before my unparalleled radiance! None shall forget my magnificent name…especially you ISA SOUMA!_

Completely unaware that devious planning in a thematically lit office was happening elsewhere, Nageki had begun his second week of being a host at St PigeoNations Academy for the Wealthy, Gifted and Bored.   On the bright side, he was having his health care paid for by the school now, which was fantastic. He had contact lenses that worked. They had given him a complete set of new uniform, including sports clothes, which fitted. The condition was that he would only wear it when he wasn’t working. There he was required to wear overly-large clothing to look ‘cute’.  Nageki had no objections. Though club activities did cut into his reading and homework time, financially he was actually a lot better off. Also the guests kept giving him food which he could take home to share with Ryouta and Hiyoko.

Though he would much prefer being alone and in silence, this could be a lot worse. He couldn’t lie and say he didn’t like the occasional compliment and no birdie dared bully him in case they incurred the wrath of the hosts. All in all, if he managed to stay out of Shuu’s way, this was a certainly endurable existence if it would simply remain like this.

It turned out that, once a week, there was a themed day to provide a little variety for the guests. Nageki had been alerted to this by the strange array of props being escorted into the music room that morning when he came to collect a book he’d left behind the previous day. He had cast the thought from his mind for when he would undoubtedly return later. The garden party wasn’t too bad and he wasn’t going to be a maid this time. Sakuya had actually confessed he wasn’t a bad host after all. In fact he had received a lot of requests, which apparently was how you judged the quality of hosts. He contemplated whether there was a certain quota he could get to before quitting entirely, but decided to at least wait a month before bringing that up. His liver would remain in his body for now.

So, with less trepidation than a week ago, he helped arrange the fixtures and fittings of the host club as the last lessons of the day came to an end. The theme seemed to be medieval fantasy stereotypes today. There were many thrones and gaudy fixtures befitting of royalty. There was even a little raised and fortified area modelled after a castle. Nageki could only assume that was Sakuya’s latest brotherly defence.  There were still a lot of flowers about and for some reason, a few nervous looking music students with trumpets sat in one corner. By their fidgeting, Nageki thought they looked distinctly uncomfortable and rather blown away by the opulence.  Nageki gave them a sympathetic smile and one of the birds at the front looked like she might faint. Nageki thought better of it and decided to go see if everything was business as usual in the preparation rooms.

 **“** SAKAZAKI!”

Needless to say it was.

“Oui?”

“Don’t ‘oui’! You know what this is about! Go and put some clothes on this instant you shameless mongrel!”

“I am wearing clothes, see, I even decorated my wings to match!” True, the bows in his wings were very co-ordinating but they certainly did not fit in with today’s theme.  Nageki looked about at the clothing racks for anything with his name on it. He was probably going to be some kind of squire or messenger boy. He was the youngest member of the host club after all.  As he rummaged for labels amidst the heavy bags of costume, he heard Yuuya and Sakuya continue to talk behind him.

“That is not proper attire for anybirdie-“  Well Nageki thought that was unfair.

“I wore that outfit for a whole day,” Nageki chipped in, head still in a bag. Sakuya, clearly unsettled by being confronted from two sides, proceeded to ignore Nageki and snap at Yuuya:

“Fujishiro is a lot shorter than you Sakazaki so he didn’t look like he was occupying some-some sort of bordello!”

“Ah, been visiting bordel-“

“NO! Just go...go and change into your knight costume before my patience becomes extinct!”

Nageki smiled into the bag and chalked this up as one victory for Yuuya considering how flustered Sakuya had become.  He couldn’t imagine somebirdie like Sakuya visiting such a place but he had seemed a little overwhelmed at the presence of a male in a maid costume. He’d probably like Ryouta.  Nageki kept on looking through the bags. What was he supposed to be wearing?

“Here’s yours Nageki.”

Nageki turned to see the quails had slipped in unseen through the chaos. Hitori held out a large purple bag with FUJISHIRO scribbled across it. Ah, well he had been naïve to think Sakuya would have it labelled with his first name.

“Thank you Hitori,” He took the bag and peeked inside of it. He couldn’t actually tell what it he was supposed to be dressing up as. He’d have to wait until he had the occasion to take it all out of the bag.

“Any idea what you’re going to be today Nageki?” chirped Nanaki, pulling a feathered cap from his own bag and placing it jauntily on his head.

“I don’t know yet, my costume seems heavy for some reason but I’ve only just got it. I haven’t had time to look.”

“I’m going to be a bard,” Nanaki proclaimed, pulling out some sort of instrument from the bag. How did that fit in there? Nageki wondered idly if he could actually play or sing like a storybook bard. He glanced at Hitori. If they were together, would they be a pair of performers?

Hitori wordlessly began pulling out props from his bag. Was that a veil? And a knife? And another knife?  They looked very real! Nageki slowly starting inching to the right thinking vividly of his own organs…. Well he didn’t think Hitori was like a certain partridge… Still, instinct told him he didn’t want to be around somebirdie who even looked dangerous.

“I need to change!” he excused himself with due haste and darted into the nearest free changing area.

Ignoring the low cursing coming from the next booth along, Nageki began to pick through the contents of his own bag. He drew out a large length of cloth made of green velvet, studded with glittering studs and patches shaped like stars. It certainly felt nice to the touch but what was it? Nageki searched for a tag, perhaps a label or some sort of fastening to indicate how this fabric went on or wrapped round.  Part of him was thankful that it wasn’t a maid costume; however the rest was a little apprehensive of looking like an idiot by not wearing it properly. He stuck his head back in the bag.

This turned out to be a surprisingly sensible choice.

At the bottom of the dark bag lay two items he’d previously missed. A large star shaped broach which meant the cloth was evidently a cape and… a double pointed wizard hat? It look like a jester’s cap if not for the fact it matched the cape and there was a little star and moon hanging off the points of the garment.  Nageki put it on and fastened the cape in place with the broach. It was far too big, but nevertheless, he was a small, rather green, wizard.

“Aw, I believe the ladies are going to find our little sorcerer quite enchanting!”

“That is a terrible pun,” Nageki informed Yuuya as he realised he had to lift the cape off the ground to walk.

“True, true.”   Yuuya casually leant on the sword he’d somehow acquired and gazed out of the preparation room door. A silence filled the room, which admittedly was unused to thoughtful reposes. This was surprisingly melancholy for him. Nageki stared, daring to inquire:

“Are you alright?”

Yuuya seemed to snap out of his reverie.

“Ah, I’m fine! No need to concern yourself with me. Go ahead and discover the lovely surprise you will be sharing with our guests!”

He didn’t seem fine though.  Nageki had become very used to his extreme levels of confidence and this simply wasn’t them. What had happened?  

“If you’re sure,” he replied hesitantly, “You can say, if you want.”

Yuuya merely winked before fluttering off into the main room. Nageki watched him go. Well, it probably wasn’t any of his business and he had only known the hosts here for a week. Maybe Yuuya did have melancholy moments? Perhaps this wasn’t the time to try and get into his fellow hosts’ heads. He lifted the heavy cloak and walked into the main room, wondering how Yuuya was able to fly whilst wearing armour.

The room had been fully decorated now, with flags bearing the school logo hanging in place of the curtains and candles arranged in every corner to provide light. Each little area was thematically lit. Nageki was right in thinking the raised area was Sakuya’s. The fantail was dressed up as some kind of prince or king figure.  Looking about for something that looked stereotypically magical, Nageki walked past a fenced off area in the corner complete with what looked like a hillock made of fake grass. Nanaki sat on the very top, looking very lost without his overly-large stuffed toy. He did however seem quite content strumming along to a tune only he could hear, so Nageki left him to it.

There was a creaking sound from the other side of the room and for the first time Nageki noticed that the room had acquired an ornamental cave.  How much money did the host club have to spend on props?!  Why was he even asking? They were all far too rich. He saw a wing leave then re-enter the dark space so assumed there was no need for him to go over there. Instead he tried to navigate his cloak closer to the area he usually occupied. There he found a tiny marquee decorated to look like it had a stone pattern on its exterior and on the inside…

Yes this was where he was meant to be.

A large cauldron, bubbling with something dark, sat in the centre of the room with a star shaped stool in front of it. The ceiling of the marquee was pattered with stars and the walls…they looked like bookshelves. Various stools and plush chairs were jumbled in an odd assortment around the cauldron looking very mismatched and hastily put together. Nageki saw a number of metal rods and tongs were left in a boot next to the cauldron. This, on closer inspection, turned out to be a very fancy…fondue set? That was definitely chocolate in the cauldron. It seemed to be some cleverly decorated electrical device. Well he had learnt not to question the hosts’ clubs choices.

Upon tasting a chocolate dipped strawberry, Nageki warmed up to the cauldron fondue. The guests certainly liked it even if he had to pretend to be magical and mystical in his ‘potion making’. There were plenty of books around, which was nice; he had half an hour of quiet reading with his guests who seemed to come to him because they liked a quieter host. Needless to say, the first hour went rather smoothly. There were a few trumpet blasts that made him jump, however everything was going-

CRASH

Nageki would have tripped over his robes if not for a one of his guests catching him before he fell. He thanked her profusely before sticking his head out of the marquee to see what had happened.

He had arrived just in time to see the two quails ricochet off the ceiling and land back on false grass of their corner.  His guests followed him out as the host club fell into silence, eyes focussed on the sudden arrival who had disturbed the otherwise peaceful room.

On the floor, surrounded by a halo of broken glass, was a particularly round bird; larger than a button quail, but he was small and decidedly odd looking. Nageki gasped and stepped forward as the bird rolled over, revealing a large streak of blood had begun to soak his feathers in addition to many specks where the glass had no doubt penetrated his plumage. In one wing was held something like a crucifix, in the other, a pen… What was going on here? Shouldn’t they rush him to a doctor?

“Is he-?”

“Hallowed Magician of White!” cried the bird, darting to his feet as if some puppeteer had just given his strings a tug, “I come with dire portents! He who bears the Light of Dark Judgement approaches the Hall of Exquisite Infamy and will cast upon you a Blightful Curse of Envious Binds so vile that-“

“Enough!” Sakuya looked even more cantankerous than usual. Which was saying something, Nageki thought.

“Master Assassin, fetch the broom!”

Broom? What was he going to do with a broom? Nageki glanced at the departing Hitori before turning his attentions back to the intruder who had just shouted:

“No! Do not unleash upon me the Servile Staff of Exile! I am a humble messenger of-“

“You do not tell me what to do Luzon!” interrupted Sakuya, “As the King of this Host Club, I cast you out… _Akagi Yoshio_!”

“DAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Sakuya stood, wing outstretched, as the Luzon, whose name must be Yoshio, collapsed to the ground and began yelling, rolling over and over so his screams sounded more like: “DAH! DAAAAH! DAAH!” as his beak was covered with every rotation.  Hitori came along with the broom and began to shunt him along so his rolling took him closer and closer to a trip out the door.

As bizarre as this looked, it didn’t quite sit right with Nageki for an entirely different reason.  Yoshio was definitely leaving streaks of blood behind on the door and his flailing was getting increasingly weaker. He was injured. They should definitely be doing more than merely playing croquet with his injured body!

“Stop!” he called, lifting his robes and hurrying forward to the bleeding bird, “He needs help!”

“He’s a Luzon Bleeding Heart Dove, they always look like that,” Hitori commented, though he did set aside the broom. Nageki sat down and inspected the still-thrashing dove. He’d dropped his pen somewhere along the shunt-path as well as his… student ID? Nageki picked it up. It was like any other PigeoNations ID but it seemed Yoshio had sought to correct it by painting the word ANGHEL across it in thick black letters.  Nageki kept hold of it as he cast a critical eye over the distraught dove.  The red on his chest may not be blood but the rest certainly was. He had just crashed through a window after all; there was still glass in him. Not only that… Nageki had been to more appointments at doctors’ surgeries and hospitals than he could count. He knew when somebirdie looked ill and it seemed to him that Yoshio was only getting weaker and was looking very pale despite his vibrant plumage. He needed medical assistance now.

“I’ll take him to the infirmary,” he announced, “He needs help.”

“Fujishiro! You have customers!” Sakuya protested. However Nageki was already neatly folding up his cape. In an ideal world, people would stop to help him when his illness affected him enough to become obvious. This was not an ideal world, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to live up to this standard himself.

“He is in dire need of medical attention; I am not going to put play acting over somebirdie’s health.” With that he determinately turned his back on Sakuya and focussed on Yoshio, who had stopped protesting and merely looked weak and dazed.

“Come on, erm,” He considered the ID for a moment. “Anghel, is that your name? Anghel?”

“Eternal Scholar… Blood… my Crimson Breast… It craves blood.”

By the fact he had responded, Nageki took that to mean Anghel was indeed this bird’s name. Also Nageki was being called an ‘Eternal Scholar’ which was sort-of fitting but very odd. The way Anghel talked in general was rather bizarre.

“Anghel, can you stand?”

Behind him Sakuya tried to usher the host club back into some form of normality as the Luzon wobbled to his feet. Nageki was at his side to make sure he had somebody to lean on

They started off down the corridor together, looking slightly odd, one rather weak bird supporting an injured one.

“Caller of Stars?”

There was no birdie else around so Anghel had to be addressing him. He directed them towards the lift. He wasn’t very strong and didn’t think he could manage to support Anghel down the stairs.

“Yes?”

“This Crimson Eye implores for one as wise to hear its dire portents! As the Demon Spores encroach upon my soul only you, Phosphorescent Astrologer, can carry on my burden.  You must-“ Anghel trembled and looked as if he was about to faint.

“You can tell me whatever you need to, just please, don’t over exert yourself.” Nageki had to let go of Anghel briefly to fly up and hit the lift button. Why they didn’t have them at bird height was anybirdie’s guess. The lift soon opened and he carefully led Anghel inside so he could sit on the carpeted floor. He was looking increasingly worse. Should Nageki leave him behind and fly off to get help? He had been in the school infirmary on occasion but usually the nurse or any of the professors who came to help never left the room. They needed to get there fast.

That didn’t seem to be a matter on Anghel’s mind however.

“You will relay the dire portents to the brethren of the Hall of Exquisite Infamy?”

“Yes, you can tell me on the way to the infirmary.”  It didn’t seem that Anghel was mad. What he said was actually making sense just in an extraordinarily grandiose way. The Hall of Exquisite Infamy had to be the host club.  His mentions of crimson breasts or eyes were likely to be references to his plumage. Nageki wasn’t entirely sure what kind of world Anghel lived in but it wasn’t too far removed from his own.

“He who bears the Light of Dark Judgement approaches!” Anghel proclaimed as they left the elevator, “Through his envious spite, he shall cast a Blight of Envious Binds upon the Exquisite Brethren! His Malevolent Artistry will enchant you all into becoming Pawns of Greed and Melancholy! The Brethren of the  Hall of Exquisite Infamy shall cast judgement upon themselves and find themselves anchored with cursed fetters of their own design!”

Right… So somebirdie was coming for the host club, inspired by jealousy, to curse them? Then the last bit seemed to be about the host club realising their own flaws which could only be a good thing quite frankly. However this wasn’t just about the host club. He needed to set Anghel’s mind at ease.

“I’ll tell them as soon as I’m back, I promise. The infirmary is just down here.”

Once again Nageki had to help Anghel lean against the wall so he could open the door. As he peered inside, Anghel shuffled along behind him, seemingly determined to make the last stretch on his own.

“Excuse me? Doctor?”

The school doctor wasn’t there, neither were any of the nurses. Nageki frowned and took a step inside so as to peer into the doctor’s office. There he discovered a large rock dove talking excitedly to a label maker.

“Come on! You can last this long! Don’t run out on me now!” Little bits of paper with brightly coloured letters upon them were tumbling to the floor at the dove’s feet. What was he doing? He was certainly an adult but Nageki had never seen him before.

“Excuse me?”  Nageki called. The rock dove gave a start and turned round.

He looked a lot like Ryouta.  Yes, lots of rock doves looked similar but this resemblance was striking. This could only be one man.

“Doctor Kawara?”

“Yes! “ He surveyed the two birds in the door way.

“Fujishiro and…again, Higure? You’ve lost your sticker!” He began to rummage in the pile of labels he had created and pulled out another one.

“I made a spare!” It was a large brown label with white capitals upon it spelling out: DO NOT FEED THIS BIRD COFFEE.

“That’s not why we’re here Doctor,” Nageki replied curtly, “Where is the School Doctor? Or the nurses?”

“I’m holding the fort whilst they have their meeting. What can I do for you both?” Doctor Kawara rolled up the sleeves of his lab coat, shedding yet more printed labels.  He strode over and stared down at them both.

“Higure you don’t look very well.”

“The Demon Spores,” Anghel gasped, “My soul…” Nageki stared at him in alarm. He even sounded weak now!

“He collapsed on the host club floor,” he explained quickly so the doctor didn’t have to decipher Anghelese, “He’s getting weaker, he can’t stand or fly.”

“Right, Higure, I’m going to lift you onto a bed and see what the matter is.”

Nageki watched as the doctor lifted Anghel onto a low cot. Anghel seemed too weak to object and Nageki wondered if this was all he could do for now. He needed to get back before Sakuya decided he wanted him beheading in a display of medieval fantasy punishment.  As he stood there awkwardly, he noticed exactly how label-maker happy Doctor Kawara had become in the medical staff’s absence. Everything was labelled. Everything. Each chair and table was labelled appropriately, as were all the pens, the computers, the medical tools… The doctor had even stuck a sticker to his own chest which said RYUUJI KAWARA.  All the labels were in caps lock. Not a surface was free from a speck of white without some sort of text on it. If Nageki stayed here too long he might get labelled too…

“So, you’re a member of the host club Fujishiro?” Doctor Kawara inquired as he inspected the now-still Anghel.

“Ah yes. I should probably get back, if-if you don’t need any help that is.”

The rock dove merely laughed.

“I’ll be fine! Say hello to Isa for me when you get back!”

“Isa?” Who was that?

“Oh, I forget, what does he call himself now? Shuu! Say hello to Isa for me…Oh, I made him these. He can only see red you see!” He tossed a wingful of labels at Nageki. Scooping them up, Nageki saw they all sported slogans like “No.1 Lab Assistant!” and “I love Science!” in bright red writing. He’d just…leave them somewhere where Shuu might find them. There was no way he was approaching the partridge with cutesy stickers. It was strange to think there was actually somebirdie who liked Shuu. Well maybe Nageki didn’t have the whole picture here. Better to focus on what was important.

“Will Anghel be alright?”

“Oh, he’ll be fine. He’s probably just crashed into one too many windows! Go back to whatever you were doing Isa’s friend!”

He was not Shuu’s friend. Somebirdie who wished to be your friend did not request the removal of your liver.  That should be a fact of life if ever there was one.

“Thank you. I hope you get better soon Anghel.”

“You have my gratitude Caller of Stars.” Anghel sounded very weak now but hopefully he had been left in capable wings…hopefully.

Nageki wasn’t entirely convinced as he flew back to the host club. If Doctor Kawara had already given Anghel a label then it meant he had been in there for a while. That meant the more sensible doctors and nurses would be back sooner rather than later. Though if Shuu so clearly respected him whilst respecting  no birdie else. Doctor Kawara had to be moderately competent.

Upon returning, little had changed. It seemed Yuuya had been put in the stocks but he still seemed to be enjoying himself and Nageki’s guests didn’t seem too angry that he had left. Apparently his concern for other students, even if they were mad, was rather cute. The fawning and cooing began all over again as Nageki put his cloak back on and recommenced his playacting. He would tell the host club of Anghel’s warnings as soon as they were done for today. Nothing tragic had happened in his absence so they undoubtedly had a bit of time before this so-called curse was going to find them. He indulged in chocolate covered fruit and marshmallows for the rest of the afternoon and told stories to three more sets of guests. By the end he felt a little sick but all-in-all it was a pleasant way to spend the rest of the day. Isolated in his ‘tower’ of a marquee he wasn’t privy to any of the quibbles going on in the main room.  It was a nice change. Yes, he had only been here for a week, but he knew what to expect by now.

Once the host club closed for the day, he was approached by Yuuya who needed help getting the stocks off his wings. Nageki swiftly undid the latch and freed him before sharing everything he’d learnt from Anghel.  His marquee and the ornamental cave had been taken away by the time he’d explained his theoretical translation, leaving the hosts dressed oddly in an increasingly-normal room.

“I see,” mused Yuuya, “Somebirdie’s going to try controlling us. Well, I don’t see them getting very far with that.”

“Why so?” Nageki asked, fiddling with the star broach pinning his cloak in place. Yuuya grinned.

“Have you seen my little brother? I’m no push over either and Hitori will keep Nanaki feeling safe. We’ve got nothing to worry abou-“

**BANG**

The lights in the host club suddenly went out .  There was the predictable thud of the quails hitting the ceiling, however it was what happened next that was truly strange. The front doors to the music room slowly creaked open, a great plume of pink smoke issuing through them. Nageki coughed into his wing and stepped back a little as a shadow emerged from the stage effects.  It was a tall bird, with an extraordinarily long tail. It was…a pheasant?

“Ah ha ha ha ha!  Fear me and applaud little Host Club for your artistic saviour Nishikikouji Tohri has arrived to rescue you from that wastrel, Isa Souma!”

Well, thought Nageki, he was certainly brightly coloured. Also he had used the name ‘Isa’... Somebirdie else who knew Ryuuji Kawara and Shuu? He certainly knew how to make an entrance. Where had he stashed his smoke machine? Nageki couldn’t see it. In all honesty he was so used to host club theatrics the smoke didn’t particularly surprise him. It just usually came from inside the host club not outside it.

There was silence as the smoke dissipated into the room. The hosts, in varying degrees of costume, stared at Nishikikouji Tohri who preened before staring straight back.  Predictably, it was Sakuya who broke the silence first.

“You are Nishikikouji Tohri of the Golden Weekly publishing corporation and media agency?”  He strutted forwards straight up to the intruder as if sudden pheasants were an everyday occurrence in this school.

“Why yes! Of course a Le Bel would have the good taste to have heard of my artistry!”

 _His Malevolent Artistry will enchant you all into becoming Pawns of Greed and Melancholy!_  Nageki stared wide eyed at the intruder. This bird! This bird was what Anghel had warned them against! It couldn’t be a coincidence that they had both talked of artistry. He turned and tried to catch Yuuya’s eye to warn him of the danger. However it seemed Yuuya was transfixed by the conversation unfolding before him.

“And any birdie with good sense has heard of the Le Bels!” proclaimed Sakuya, “What brings you to our school, let alone our host club, Nishikikouji Tohri?”

The pheasant struck a heroic pose.

“Why, I am here to free you from the surgical horror of that despicable partridge! With I, Nishikikouji Tohri, at your helm this host club will reach new heights. A manga series, an anime…perhaps even a feature length film lies in your future!”

“You will allow us to penetrate into the business behind Japanese culture?!” exclaimed Sakuya.  Nageki had never seen him so excited. Anghel’s warning was becoming more factual as the minutes passed. They needed to get out now! However he had no say over what Sakuya did and this Nishikikouji Tohri didn’t seem to realise Shuu was not head of the host club and therefore he had nothing to conquer… He heard a whisper from beside him.

 _“He did it. We’re doomed.”_ Yuuya seemed to be right.

Sakuya fluffed up his feathers to their most grand and exclaimed.

“Lay out for us your plan Nishikikouji Tohri! Tell us your vision for our host club and you shall be our manager.”

“Of course! Assemble the hosts!”

Sakuya bossed them into line, including a very bored looking Shuu who hadn’t even once looked at the flashy new member of their club. Nageki merely watched as the bright pheasant strutted up and down their ranks before turning and facing the first in the line – Hitori, Nanaki stood trembling beside him with the King clamped tight under his wing.

“Right! I believe your roles need a little refresh!” Tohri struck another pose as he spoke, “As the owner of Golden Weekly I see all types of characters, all types of roles, and I can tell you, yours are outdated! To be outdated is a crime to artistry!”

“Yes, true, true!” Sakuya cried from the centre of the line, “Tell us how best we should market our club and you will be richly rewarded!”

“I can my artistic vision already…you!” Tohri pointed at the quails with his wings, “I have been observing all day and I can see a blatant error in your portrayals! A poor baby button quail and his equally pint-sized protector… that has been done a hundred times! You could say it’s been done to death! You need fresh faces, new personas… I can see it now!”

He swooned.

“Future heir to a yakuza empire!  The button quail bully, who hides sadism behind his cute appearance and will let  no birdie come between him and what he wants! “ He gestured to Nanaki who looked as if the world continued to collapsing around him the more Tohri spoke. He was on the verge of tears, though, as Nageki reminded himself, Nanaki was often on the verge of tears.

“And his long-suffering right wing bird!” Tohri continued, “Seeped the blood shed for his master, he tries to stop his master’s cruel ways but secretly enjoys the pain his master inflicts upon him with hidden masochism!”

Even Hitori seemed lost for words, and he usually said little anyway. Tohri seemed to take this for approval as he moved onto Sakuya, who was at full display as he eagerly waited on how to best make himself popular.

“You are the prince type of this host club,” mused Tohri, “And you act this role splendidly Le Bel.”

“Naturally.”

“However you lack one important addition! Tragedy! Being of nobility is such a chore is it not? Weighed down by your fans’ adoration, your parents’ expectations, the whole world staring at you in awe and respect is such a heavy burden. When everyone sees you as a pinnacle of bird kind they do not see the true you… that is awfully lonely is it not?”

“I-“ Sakuya seemed to be on the verge of objecting when, to everyone’s surprise, he silenced himself.

“You must let your sensitive soul shine through your charming exterior and let all know the darkness that lies within. Your artistic nature, your loneliness… your isolation. You shall be the dark prince, loved yet craving love, talented, yet craving approval…  All you want is for others to see the true you!”

“Yes!” If this was Pretty Coore there would be hearts in Sakuya’s eyes. “I have such a sensitive soul! A lone prince! A solitary pure white bird sitting at a grand piano in the pouring rain as those around him see him for the beacon and not the flame. The passion and not the love…. I am perfect for this role!”

 _Oh please_ , thought Nageki.  However he kept his comments to himself as Tohri moved to Yuuya.

“You think you can take all the tropes do you Mr Dove?” The pheasant taunted. Yuuya merely smiled at him, however Nageki could tell it was a very frozen expression. An explosion could go off and Yuuya would still be using that smile. It was the sort of smile policemen used when they said everything was going to be ok and it never was going to be.  This however only served to make him curious. Why did Yuuya need to smile like that?

“Well how about this?” gloated Tohri, “You are a dedicated carer for the student population. A role-model! However beneath your universally-caring exterior is a deep dark desire to protect your younger brother at all costs. However you cannot get too close for fear of exposing your blood-stained past and your longing for death! You would love to take a knife, a bullet, a cup of poison to earn your brother’s love!”

There was silence as Yuuya and Tohri seemed to have a staring competition. Perhaps if he had been standing a little further way, Nageki wouldn’t have noticed. However as he stood, he thought Yuuya had never looked so quietly furious. His expression reminded Nageki of a gesture he had seen Hiyoko use. When she was really angry but couldn’t fully attack she would display the middle-most fingers of her hands.  Nageki imagined that if Yuuya had hands he would wish to use that strange display. Tohri seemed oblivious to this however and moved on with an elegant glide.

“You!”

Nageki blinked up at him.

“You, oh, you! Innocent little scholarship student! You are far too complacent in your servitude! I want to see you fighting against those who only wish to push you down. The sacrificial virgin to this harsh jungle of opulence! … Can you sing? You must sing! One lonely voice, a lost lily in a bed of roses!”

He stared at Nageki, his gaze so intense that Nageki shrank back a little, intimidated. He nodded

“I can…but I’m told I always sound sad.”

“Even better!”

Tohri moved along to regard Shuu with a smirk.

“And you can continue to act as normal to show the world what an ungrateful and ugly blot you are!”

Shuu merely rolled his eyes and with that motion condemned them to their fate.

Nageki had said being part of this host club had become manageable. He had said  that the financial benefits made up for all the instances of humiliation. He had thought that this wasn’t too bad. That maybe he would make friends. That maybe the free food and healthcare would turn this into a safe and healthy venture.

He took that back.  He wanted to take those thoughts back to whatever crazy place he’d got them from and leave this stupid costume with it too. Somehow, in goodness know how much time, a film crew had been assembled for their ‘host club extravaganza’ as Sakuya had taken to call it.  He hated this. He hated the lights, the make-up, the yelling, _the singing lessons_ … He had managed to last a club session in a maid outfit but there was something incredibly demeaning about having to wear a raggedy hooded jumper with cat ears and a pink bow on it all the time. It was very cute, and he didn’t mind looking cute, it was just… That jumper seemed to represent in his mind ever wrong that had been piled upon him. He was fine acting cute before but he was allowed to keep some of his dignity… This was horrible. All those bright lights, it was like being on a hospital bed again. Everyone watching him, examining him, trying to correct him…

“Take 3! Do it again but with more joy this time!”

For the third time Nageki was pushed into a tree and lay there crumpled at its roots, as two button quails stood over him menacingly.

“Don’t hide, it’ll only make him angrier,” said Hitori, keeping his voice low and melancholy.

“Quiet, Hitori. Don’t make me silence you myself.” You could see the amount of concentration on Nanaki’s face as he willed himself not to cry.

“Now…what shall we do with you Nageki? Think you can win over the school with your tragic charm and sweet little voice? Don’t want them to know your little secret? I know what they’ll say when they learn it… _That mourning dove is a bad bad bird_!”

In the silence after that statement, Nageki could see the mean expression slide from Nanaki’s face. There was a moment of indeterminate woe then:

“I can’t do it! I can’t be mean to Nageki! I don’t want to!”

Nageki let out a gasp as Nanaki launched himself at him. As the director threw a fit behind them, he awkwardly hugged the sobbing quail. Hitori seemed to want a break so he sat there and reassured Nanaki that he wasn’t offended and he didn’t think he was mean at all.  It was hard to believe that Nanaki was actually the older student here however Nageki wasn’t going to judge, perhaps he was very insecure and needed constant reassurance because of that.

“No, no, no! You’re ruining your characterisation!”

Nageki looked up to see a very angry pheasant looming over them. Nageki stared coldly up at him. He was getting fed up of this horrid film and he knew Nanaki wasn’t the only one who was upset over this. Yuuya hadn’t been in school for three days, not since Tohri had forced him into a full day of shooting. He kept seeing Hitori slumped in a corner, apart from Nanaki, looking absolutely exhausted. Hitori kept falling asleep in odd places and considering how round quails were, he could do himself an injuring by falling asleep and rolling down the stairs.  Nanaki was obviously a wreck from having to be cruel to people.  Even Sakuya, with his boundless enthusiasm, was acting quieter than usual and resorted to glaring rather than shouting at people.

“Scholarship student, you’re wanted on Set Four, now!” With that Tohri turned and strutted off back in the direct he’d come. Nageki looked down at Nanaki who also seemed in dire need of a nap.

“I’ve got to go.  Maybe you should join Hitori in his nap?”

“I-I will do that. Good luck!”

Nageki took flight and hurried off to Set Four.  He wasn’t sure how many sets there were, or how their so-called manager had managed to get permission for any of this. However this was classed as a host club activity and if he tried to escape it… well he wasn’t sure their new manager couldn’t be as sadistic as a certain absent partridge. So he, with the air of one resigned to a battle, allowed himself to be pushed through costume and make up before being placed under an open window of a ground floor music room.  He could hear Sakuya huffing in the music room above him and knew what was coming. Why, why did he have to sing?

“Take One!”

Fine, let’s get this over and done with Nageki thought.

_“Vois sur ton chemin_  
 _Gamins oubliés egarés_  
 _Donnez- leur la main pour les-“_

“Cut!” Tohri shouted, sounding delighted, “Perfect! Now, let me tell you something! I have recruited two new co-stars for you Scholarship Student!” Tohri waved a wing and two confused looking rock doves were led towards the set.

“Don’t they just look like the most perfect Punkgeons?”

“Hey!” said one of the rock doves, “We’re not Punkgeons!”

“We’re noblebirds like everyone else!” exclaimed the other, “How dare you call us punkgeons? My father’s men will hear of this and-“

“Oh will you just be quiet!” Tohri interrupted, “You clearly don’t understand the honour of working for Nishikikouji Tohri! For when-“ The rock doves weren’t having any of it. Nageki couldn’t blame them but their next reaction was certainly unwarranted.

“We’re fed up of you bossing us around. We’ve half a mind to knock you and your cute little doll there back to the cage days! That’ll teach you to mess with a-OI!“

The shouting dove’s companion hadn’t waited for his partner to stop monologing and instead chose to barrel past Tohri and aim straight for  Nageki. Realising exactly what the first had meant by ‘cute little doll’, Nageki gave a cry and tried to back away, however he was already right against the wall. The rock dove charged him as if he were a carelessly dropped sandwich, flying at an astounding speed with the full intention of ramming head first into the panicking mourning dove. Nageki tried to run to one side, colliding with a lighting rig and stumbling pathetically.

“Please, I’m being controlled as much as-“

Wham!

What hit Nageki however was not a speeding rock dove. He gasped, his gaze completely obscured in white feathers as he lay crumpled in the remains of the lighting rig. Before him, panting and wincing slightly, wielding a battered stool with both wings, was none other than Sakuya. The realisation took almost as much out of Nageki as the fall did. Why? Why did Sakuya save him? This was unexpectedly generous of him though Nageki certainly wasn’t complaining… Still, Sakuya was sticking up for a commoner?

“Get up,” Sakuya ordered, his voice snippier than usual, “And don’t think I did this for you. I couldn’t let a singing voice like that be wasted before it has made a contribution to music.”

Sure, sure. Nageki winced as he got to his feet. The rock dove who had hit the stool was cursing though his rage was nothing compared to Tohri’s. The pheasant stamped and stormed, knocking side chairs and scattering frightened birds who had been assisting him on set.

“Why is this wretched school so disgustingly ungrateful! I Nishikikouji Tohri have blessed you with my magnificence, brought you true fame, true art! This is how you honour me? With disobedience, with slander! Does no birdie care for my artistic vision!”

Nageki glanced at Sakuya. There was a very obvious answer here but Nageki didn’t think he should be the one giving it. Sakuya however seemed to be keeping his beak shut. Well, here went nothing.

“We don’t care for your artistic vision if people are getting hurt!” Nageki protested, stepping out from behind Sakuya “You’ve made the host club stressed and miserable all for your selfish vision.”

“Selfish!” Tohri strode forwards , “You little commoner, you have been under the foul influence of that unfashionable partridge Isa Souma! Only one tainted by he could not appreciate such majesty!”

He was a lot larger than Nageki was. The little mourning dove found himself wishing for a full tail like Sakuya’s to display whenever he wanted his point heard.

“His name isn’t Isa Souma anymore,” Nageki pointed out, “And we aren’t friends. You are selfish Nishikikouji Tohri. Putting your ambitions over other people’s health and happiness is the definition of selfish. I think you should leave this school and never come back.”

“Agh!”

Sakuya stood by as Nageki was slowly backed into the wall once more. Nageki stared imploringly at the fantail wanting him to at least try something. Somebirdie? Anybirdie? Wasn’t anybirdie going to do something about-

CRASH

“Do not harm the Caller of Stars!”

There was a shower of broken glass and the distinct smell of coffee from above as Anghel swooped in to  land beside the furious pheasant. Suddenly everything went hazy, as if Nageki had just been dealt a completely painless blow to the back of the head. Everything swum and swirled before suddenly:

**VERSUS THE GOLDEN-WINGED MESSENGER**

Reinforcements had come! He was so thankful, what had he been thinking? He was brave of heart but in the end one small scholar was no match for a Master of such might. Thank the ever present stars that the Crimson Angel had arrived in time, he would have been done for!

He ducked to the side, keeping to the back behind the sword-wielding angel and the powerful archbishop. He would help the best he could, unfortunately it was the messenger who had the first turn, Anghel had not come quick enough.

**AVIES’ TURN**

The extravagant dollmaster preened himself for a moment before drawing back,  gaze fixed upon the grimacing angel.

“Crimson Angel of Judecca, we meet again. Ready to provide a little more aid to my Malevolent Artistry?”

“Never!” cried Anghel, “The Crimson Breast serves only one, Mighty Edel Blau! Prepare for unholy justice, foul invader!” He readied his gleaming blade.

“We’ll see about that,” exclaimed the dollmaster, “All shall adore me in the end! _Glittering Cherry Dance_!”

Cherry Blossoms filled the air, floating as if suspended on invisible threads, obscuring the dollmaster partially from view.  The scholar frowned. Partial concealment, which would knock their chances of hitting him by a third! That had to be cancelled somehow!

**ANGHEL’S TURN**

The Crimson Angel of Judecca readied his blade. The small scholar behind him shivered as he felt the shift in power, the energies of the sky passing through the air and using the shimmering metal as a conduit. Anghel was preparing a mighty attack indeed, one that was sure to break through the petal miasma.”

“I shall never obey you Golden-Winged Messenger! The only curse that hinders this Fallen Angel is of his own design! _Crimson Chain_!”

“AH!”  The dollmaster stumbled backwards, a bleeding gash having appeared on his right wing. However he soon stood up as his opponents gasped. The Cherry Dance not only made hits less likely but dampened blows. They would need a strong attack indeed to finish him!

**SEERE’S TURN**

The Archbishop stepped forwards, the light blue glow about him showed he wasn’t wasting time on jibes and insults.

“You are no longer welcome here! I rid my realm of all villainy, such is my pride! _Crystal Breeze_!”

Ah perfect, as to be expected of one from such a high rank. You could expect somebirdie who had spent all that money on his education to know how to get rid of a miasma. A glittering sheen surrounded the party, devouring the hovering petals until naught but the barrier’s shimmer remained. Now the dollmaster couldn’t debuff them! This battle could turn in their favour.

**ESTELLE’S TURN**

Ah! It was his turn! If only he had been strong enough to train in an offensive class… All he could do was buff his combat-worthy allies. Well he would try his best!  Raising his staff he spun on the spot, releasing a shimmering miasma of dust across his allies.

“I will aid those of a pure heart with a heavenly light to guide your noble blades! Seal of the Wavering Comet!”

With a final spin the glittering powder covered every inch of their party’s territory. Everyone there would now have a hundred percent accurate hits and a twenty percent boost to land criticals! Anghel better make use of-

**NIGHTMARE FANTAIL’S TURN**

What? Wait a moment… The group turned as a bird in golden armour stepped between their lines and the indignant puppeteer.  He was just about in range of the dust so Nageki knew he would have no trouble hitting as he declared in a low voice:

“Solace is rarely found in the darkest depths! Maelstrom!

The astral dust, the crystal barrier, the dollmaster’s own petals, all were whipped up in a great swirling whirlpool of dark energy that collected all that combined power and sent it shooting at the shocked dollmaster. Avies Aurum screamed and took flight, his tail feathers blackened and charred.  The party turned to strike a victory pose when:

“Hitori, I don’t understand what they’re doing!”

Everything went blurry again for a moment and the next Nageki knew he was standing behind Yuuya wielding a dropped piece of lighting rig as some sort of…wizard staff? What in the name of all birdkind had just happened? He had been so sure of himself. There had been magic and armour and… What on earth?

He turned to look at the others. Sakuya looked very ruffled, he was turning this way and that as if looking for somebirdie to blame for his confusion. He didn’t have to search far.

“Sakazaki! What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything!”  Yuuya exclaimed, clutching his head with one wing, “That-that was Anghel. That’s what he does. Oh god…where did Nishikikouji Tohri go?”

“We have defeated the vile Messenger!” Anghel proclaimed, brandishing his pen into the air, “None shall be controlled by his Malevolent Artistry anymore!”

“Yay…” groaned Yuuya, laying on the floor. Nageki knew how he felt. His head was pounding, he felt dizzy and…why was he carrying this really heavy pole? He dropped it and sat down as the two fretting quails watched on in alarm.

“Caller of Stars? Have you recovered?” inquired Anghel as Nageki resisted the urge to lay down too. He hurt from his impact with the lighting rig.

“Getting there,” Nageki lied, “I’m sorry Anghel…I’m sorry I didn’t warn everyone sooner. We could have prevented this.  I just didn’t think they’d listen.”

“Tis not your fault Caller of Stars, many of the Brethren of the Hall of Exquisite Infamy are stubborn and have Demon Spores dampening all prophecy about them.”

Nageki merely nodded. Yes the Hatoful High School Host Club were incredibly stubborn, but at least, soon, it would all go back to normal. In all honesty, they didn’t need singing, films and fame, because they had enough drama already just with having two fantails in the same room. He sighed and gave into the urge to become floor-bound. Yes, normal was enough for him. Normal should be enough for anybody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on Hatoful High School Host Club!
> 
> What is wrong with Yuuya? Has something bad happened to the host club's much-loved flirt? Considering no birdie else is going to, Nageki is determined to get to the bottom of it. Especially what it has to do with a visit to his home!


	4. Daily Life in the Kawara Household!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is up with Yuuya and Nageki is concerned. Not only that, the hosts suddenly seem interested in visiting his home? This could end badly...most likely for the Host Club.

The manga club room was surprisingly dark and foreboding. Nageki gently pushed the door shut behind him so not to disturb the many birds frantically pouring over sheets of paper with pen and ink.  The room would be in darkness if not for the individual table lamps set at every desk, isolating each artist from his or her peers as they worked in a way Nageki could only call feverish.  Nageki navigated desks and chairs until he reached the desk closest to the window. It was covered in shattered glass and was undoubtedly reserved, in the interests of everybirdie’s safety, for one particular dove.

“Anghel?”

He was muttering to himself in deep concentration and seemed not to notice Nageki’s tentative disturbance.  Nageki looked at the page he was pouring over. Was that…Nanaki in his outfit from the medieval fantasy themed day? Well, perhaps they hadn’t left too bad of an impression. Still, there was something he had to say.

“Anghel?”

He received glares from the birds surrounding them for being noisy.  However he needed to pass this basket over and go back to the host club before Sakuya had his tail for quill pens.

“ _Anghel?_ ”

“Phosphorescent Astrologer! What brings you to the Fell Hall of Chaos and Creation?”

They were still getting dirty looks from everybirdie so Nageki decided to make this quick.

“I am here to apologise on behalf of the Host Club.  Certain members were too prideful to do it themselves. However we must admit that we should have taken your warning more seriously. If we had, much damage could have been prevented. You risked life and limb to help us. Please take this as a token of our appreciation.”

He offered Anghel the gift hamper. He had brought up the topic of apologising to Anghel with Yuuya this morning. They had both agreed that Sakuya would not stoop to say sorry to anybirdie, however it didn’t seem that he was entirely responsible for the financial side of the host club. Either that or Yuuya worryingly good at hacking into people’s bank accounts…. Anyway, Yuuya had designated a significant amount of money to making Anghel an apology hamper – a host club tradition apparently. Together they had assembled a basket of video games, high-end art supplies and decaffeinated coffee. Miraculously managing to get it all brought to the host club before lunch time, the hamper was ready by the end of the school day. Remembering Hiyoko’s attempts to get Ryouta a box-set of Pretty Coore for Christmas, Nageki wondered how on earth Yuuya got it all together so quickly.  However it did enable an apology to be given before too much time had passed.

Well, Anghel seemed to like it.

“Such wonders plucked from the bounteous halls of Paradise! This loyal servant can only feel awe at this heaped blessing which one burdened with a treacherous soul could ne’er dream of! Caller of Stars your boons bring a swelling of joy to my Crimson Br-“

“I’m glad you like it. The Host Club is very sorry, even if they don’t seem to be.”

“I understand Caller of Stars! You and the Disciple of the Violet Rose are repentant souls even if those about you slander the glimpses of fate provided to them.”

He’d seen right through him. Nageki gave a small sigh. Though the quails would have probably helped the best they could, he wouldn’t count on Sakuya and Shuu if his life depended on it. Well Sakuya had saved him once, he was still wondering about that though.

“May this humble servant entreat you amongst the Brethren of the Hall of Exquisite Infamy on occasion?”

Nageki was fairly sure what that meant.

“Yes, you can visit. Just…I don’t think Sakuya would appreciate it if you broke the window again.”

“I will try for your sake Eternal Scholar!”

“Thank you.” Nageki gave a little nod before carefully retreating from the manga club room. Some of the other artists were looking increasingly annoyed. He didn’t want to start an inter-club war. According to Yuuya, the host club already had one of those with the school newspaper. Nageki had decided not to ask why. That went for many aspects of the host club come to think of it.

He flew back to the music room, arriving just in time to see Sakuya declare that he didn’t like chess anyway and that he had better things to be doing with his time.  Yuuya was sat on the floor with an up-turned chess set, putting it all back into the box neatly. For some reason he looked almost deliriously happy. Nageki sent him a concerned look, wondering whether to comment on this, before dragged to one side by Nanaki who wished to show him the new hat Hitori had made for the King.

Everything seemed to have gone back to normal in the absence of their temporary manager. Sakuya was back in charge. Shuu deemed it safe to stay in the host club once more. He had slipped back inside whilst Nageki was setting out tea trays. On his left wing were stuck three labels proclaiming ‘Best Assistant in the World!’, ‘A* Student’ and simply ‘SCIENCE’. Nageki was left to wonder how much respect Shuu did hold for the eccentric Doctor Kawara. Nageki was sure Shuu would have murdered anybirdie in the host club if they dared even breath on him the wrong way, let alone dared approach him with cutesy stickers.  Not only did Shuu let the doctor stick things to him but he also seemed to have another name around him. There was a story to be told there but Nageki wouldn’t touch it for a fortune. He liked living.

Somebirdie else who seemed to be enjoying the act of living right now was Yuuya. He sung to himself as he went and put the chess set away before coming to join Nageki in arranging tables.

“How has your day been Nageki?”

“Clearly not as good as yours.” Nageki commented, passing him a matching saucer to the teacup he was currently holding.

“Ah well. We’ve got to enjoy the time we have mon ami!”

“That is rather morbid.” Nageki had no qualms in stating the truth. Something had definitely been wrong with Yuuya recently. Even before the whole film incident there had been something on his mind that was causing him to be less…well, just less Nageki supposed. He was often distracted, was prone to strange swings in emotion… If Nageki hadn’t been watching him out of worry, he probably wouldn’t have noticed. However something was the matter and this sudden turn to the morbid seemed to be a sign of that.

“Is it?” Yuuya mused, “Perhaps you’re right, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Adieu!” He fluttered off to start setting another table.

That was odd.  He’d seemed a lot more cheerful when they were assembling Anghel’s apology hamper. He was clearly somebirdie who enjoyed helping other people but…he had been completely absent for three days when the film was being made. If he loved helping so much why hadn’t he helped them stand up to Tohri sooner? It just seemed…odd. Nageki liked Yuuya, he was one of the friendlier members of the host club and he wasn’t a noblebird too. The quails were kind, however they had a tendency to stick together as a pair and not socialise with the others. Yuuya approached everyone and had helped Nageki become a host. It would be rude not to show him kindness in response.

He kept his concerns to himself through his working hours. Henrietta the fantail, his most persistent guest, was trying to take all of his attention and wasn’t being very subtle about it. She seemed to want to mother him all the time, leaving the other guests shunted to one side as she tried to talk to him constantly. He had asked her to ease off but he couldn’t disappoint the customers.

“So Nageki, where do you live?” Henrietta asked.

“It’s a little far away,” Nageki replied, “But the school gave me a bus pass so I don’t have to fly that much. It’s useful on days when I’m feeling…not quite well enough.” He cast his gaze floor-wards seemingly in misery. This resulted in a lot of excitable and sympathetic cooing.  Being a host was very methodical once you knew how. Sound sad. Look sad. Success. That was all there was to it.

“You ought to show us where you live sometime mon ami!” 

Nageki felt a presence behind his seat before said presence made himself known.

“Shouldn’t you be with your guests?” Nageki asked as Yuuya surveyed the tea party that had come to permanently occupy Nageki’s little patch of music room.

“That appointment is over. We’re on break now, though I do admire your persistence with the ladies Nageki.” 

Nageki glanced at the clock in Sakuya’s area. Yes, he was meant to be on break! Well it was difficult to get Henrietta and her entourage to leave and he couldn’t actually ask them to go, that would be impolite. Luckily for him, it seemed Henrietta liked to keep time.

“Oh my, we’ve overstayed our welcome! Let’s get going, perhaps we can drop in on the bird-watching society on the way out of school.”

“It was lovely to see you all!” Nageki called after them as the little group seemed to follow Henrietta’s extravagant tail feathers like a guiding beacon. It seemed like all fantails had some sort of authority if not a sense of self-importance. Nageki glanced at Yuuya as if to question what he wanted with him. Was he just here to remind Nageki it was break time?

Yuuya casually took one of the vacated seats. He seemed tired but no more so then anybirdie would after a session of dealing with excitable customers.  Nageki leaned over and opened up the cleverly disguised refrigerator which looked like a wooden cabinet. In there, a welcome change from the sweet tea Nageki had been drinking for the last hour, were bottles of water. Nageki liked tea but he didn’t want to live with that taste constantly in his beak. He passed one to Yuuya who nodded his thanks.

“So where do you live?” asked Yuuya, uncapping his bottle. Nageki looked about; there were no customers about who would want to track him down.

“I live in the lower city, it’s quite far but I’ve got a bus pass.” Nageki noticed that he had caught the attention of Nanaki and Hitori who were having sandwiches in the next setting over.

“I’m familiar with the area,” Yuuya continued, further confirming in Nageki’s mind that he wasn’t a noblebird, “Whereabouts?”

Nageki frowned. It sounded like Yuuya wanted to come visit. They didn’t know how much of a good idea that was. He was sure Hiyoko and Ryouta would take to him, everyone did, but if Yuuya knew where he lived what stopped him tell everyone else. The other two certainly didn’t need snobby noblebirds trampling through their house.

“Near the park,” he replied vaguely, “Why are you so interested?”

Yuuya leaned back in his chair and sighed.

“What’s wrong with a friendly visitation every now and again mon amie?”

“The King wants to know where Nageki lives!” exclaimed Nanaki, “The King thinks that visiting seems like fun!”

This was exactly what Nageki had feared. Both quails were staring at him in vivid interest and even Sakuya and Shuu had now turned to stare at him expectantly. Why did they want to visit his home! Sakuya would just insult it constantly and Shuu… he didn’t want the partridge to know where he slept! He puffed up the best he could but there was no way one particularly small mourning dove had a chance of intimidating all these birds. Even Nanaki didn’t seem frightened and that surely was a sign you were about as intimidating as a teaspoon. Yuuya laughed indulgently which made Nageki give a low coo of frustration.

“Please, I don’t want anybirdie visiting my home,” he whined.

“Why not?” asked Nanaki as he propped the King back onto the sofa. It was so big it tended to fall from his wings with ease.

_Because you’re all posh aristocrats who’ll make a scene in my neighbourhood, tell stories about me in front of Hiyoko and Ryouta and make rude gestures and comments about our house! Then Hiyoko will go mighty and hunter-gatherer-like and throw you out the window. Then the window will be broken and that will cost a lot of money. Also you’ll get offended and decide my liver is forfeit!_

“There isn’t room for everyone,” Nageki lied, better that excuse then one that would cause a fuss, “Also I live with two others and you all arriving would startle them. They work so hard they deserve some peace and quiet when they come home.” Their home was never quiet unless a large amount of udon was involved but how could they know that?

“That’s fair enough,” Hitori said before any of the others could voice their opinions. Sakuya looked a little indignant that he hadn’t got the first say but that seemed to settle the matter.  Nageki glanced at Yuuya. Was it just him or did Yuuya look a little…saddened? Or at least disappointed… Something inside Nageki gave a horrible twisting sensation. He was so nice; Nageki didn’t want to make Yuuya sad. Maybe, maybe another time he could invite Yuuya over without the rest of the host club knowing and tagging along? He would probably get along with Ryouta and Hiyoko, so that wasn’t a problem. However when would he get to ask? Yuuya was a senior and he was a freshman, they had completely different timetables. When would he get the chance?

Little did Nageki know then, that this chance would come sooner than anybirdie could predict.  Three days later, Nageki had an unexpected encounter. For the last three days, Yuuya had lost some of his flamboyance and flair. He arrived late, left early, and though the customers didn’t mind it was troubling to all those around him. Even Sakuya was watching him leave with less venom and exclamations of ‘good riddance’ then usual. On their police-themed day, the third day of Yuuya’s strange behaviour, Nageki sat in the police cell he had been put in and kept glancing at Yuuya through the bars. (He had wondered at the beginning of the day why he had to be put in prison when somebirdie like Shuu got to be a police officer. Apparently he was cuter when he protested to be innocent.)  Yuuya was being a very suggestive policebird for most of the session however half an hour before the host club was due to close up, he suddenly exclaimed

“Justice stops for no lovely lady and I fear you shall ensnare with the wiles of a femme fatale! I must go!” He flew from the room without even changing out of his policebird uniform.

Due to the suddenness of his departure, Nageki hadn’t expected to him again that day. So when he left school that day, clutching a stack of books from the library and food from admirers, he didn’t even think to look out for the upperclassman as he departed school grounds.  However, as he got out of the lift on the ground floor and made to head towards the entrance, he saw a curious sight. It wasn’t Yuuya, but it was another host acting oddly. A tall rock dove covered in stickers was trying to present a package to a surprisingly bashful looking partridge.  Nageki stopped in his tracks, hiding behind an ornate looking bust of a pheasant, to see what was going on. They were blocking the corridor leading to the entrance hall, so there was no way of getting past them without hearing their conversation. Well he could go through the science block but that would be a very long way of going out.  Still, Shuu looked oddly…awkward. Nageki couldn’t help but wonder what the matter was. The package Shuu was being presented with was rather large and wrapped inexpertly in brown paper and hazard tape. He seemed to be very hesitant to accept it.

“Come on Isa, open it!”

“I do not understand the occasion. There are no superstitions or festivals pertaining to this day.”

Shuu had a point, it was nowhere near a gift-giving occasion but that didn’t mean he couldn’t receive presents. Didn’t he receive presents all the time at the host club too? Nageki could probably live off all the food he was given at a push, and Shuu had a very dedicated gaggle of admirers. Presents shouldn’t be anything strange yet… Shuu looked like he was confronted with something he could not comprehend.

“Ah, that’s true,” said Doctor Kawara, “But…think of it as a reward! A…you’ve been at the host club for a whole year and a half reward!”

Shuu still wasn’t convinced it seemed.

“I didn’t have a choice whether I wished to stay in the club. It is compulsory for teaching assistants to get involved in students’ societies and you volunteered me for the Host Club.”

“It looked like fun! Haven’t you made lots of friends”?

“No.”

Nageki was right; Shuu hadn’t joined the host club voluntarily. Considering how frightening he was, Nageki thought anybirdie with sense would keep him away from social situations but… Doctor Kawara didn’t seem to follow the usual conventions of sense. Perhaps because Shuu wasn’t sociable he tried to give him a situation where he could be so? Either way there was definitely a degree of care going on here.  Dr Kawara wanted to give Shuu something just because he wanted to. He also had asked Nageki to say hi to Shuu the other day. Due to the fact that Shuu wasn’t threatening to disembowel him like everyone else who tried to get close to the partridge… Nageki thought there was something going on here. Something a world apart from the Shuu he saw in the host club. How could somebirdie that dangerous suddenly become that…withdrawn in a different way? If this was an episode of Pretty Coore, they’d say there was a crush going on here….surely not?

The lift suddenly dinged loudly behind him and a little group of students emerged chattering loudly. Both Shuu and Dr Kawara turned. Heart leaping in sudden panic, Nageki pretended to be part of this group and shuffled off down the corridor towards the science block slightly behind them. There was no way the pair hadn’t seen him and wouldn’t recognise him. It seemed he was taking the long route round the school after all. On the bright side, he got to keep his liver! Nageki’s heart felt as if it was beating a mile a minute until he was long out of earshot of the awkward gift-bearing pair.

The science block of the school was about the size of Ryouta and Hiyoko’s school by itself. St PigeoNations evidently took its science very seriously; they even had a hospital on campus. Nageki had never been there, and in all honesty, had never heard of anybirdie else go in there either. However it was remarkable that the school had both a hospital and an infirmary.  Perhaps it was a private affair for rich people who didn’t want to go normal hospitals? Considering the amount of snobbery here (the lunch menu was longer than their coursework essays!) Nageki wouldn’t be too surprised.  He yawned into his book pile as he rounded a corner and walked past the Biology department. There was a strange smell coming from a nearby door. It was a bit like bleach but also like…tomato ketchup? Nageki paused for a moment before thinking better of it. They needed to get home before their wings ached from carrying all these books.

The main reason why everybirdie chose to leave through the main entrance not through the science block was because that exit took you out past the bins. The combination between the chemical smell from the preparation rooms and the stench from the bins was quite overwhelming. Nageki buried his beak in his pile of books and treats and picked up the pace as he approached the exit.  He thanked this overly-fancy school for having automatic doors (there was no way he could open doors whilst carrying all this) and headed out into the weak autumn sunshine.

Ugh. No matter where you were and how posh it was, rubbish still smelt like rubbish. Nageki contemplated whether it was worthwhile investment to get a strong bag to carry all his things in. However whether he could fly with all that weight was another matter. Most likely he couldn’t, he was struggling with this much already. Beak buried, he hurried down the path past the disposal area. This was better than passing Shuu.  This was a lot better than passing Shuu even if it did smell like somebirdie had died down here.  They could distinctly smell blood…it was best not to think about what smelt of blood or why he recognised the smell so easily.  He should just-

“Mon dieu, they’re good!”

Nageki turned. However muffled it was, he thought he recognised that voice. He was supposed to have left half an hour ago. So what was he doing here, in the disposal area no less?  Nageki trod a little closer, there was a gap in the fence at the most convenient height for a curious mourning dove and it would be foolish not to utilise it.  Peeking through, Nageki was greeted with a perfect view of the bottom half of a fantail, upside down in a dumpster like a foraging duck. The great array of white feathers was hardly subtle against the dull green of the trash receptacle.  Considering the exclamation in French, and the fact Sakuya would never be seen dead next to a rubbish bin... that could only ever be one bird. This only raised more questions about this situation. What was Yuuya doing upside down in a dumpster exclaiming how good it was? Nageki thought he was missing something very important here. Had Yuuya left half an hour early so he could go sit in a giant bin?

He watched as those extravagant tail feathers puffed up, seemingly in excitement. Nageki watched silently as Yuuya took flight and landed with something scarlet in his beak. It looked like a cloth bag of some sort, like the sort fancy beans came in on Legumentines.  It did indeed look like it should contain some sort of food stuff. Was Yuuya scavenging in bins for something to eat?  Had he left early so no birdie in the host club, guest or otherwise, would see that he couldn’t afford to eat? The same twisting sensation that Nageki had felt upon seeing the fantail look sad returned. This explained so much actually! Sakuya and Yuuya were brothers but Yuuya had been disowned and left to fend for himself. This had happened after Yuuya’s school fees had been paid so he was still allowed in the posh school, however he had to provide for himself the rest of the time. The food at the host club was good, however Nageki had noticed that Yuuya’s admirers didn’t tend to give him edible gifts. He sometimes got chocolates but his fangirls tended to prefer to throw underwear or flowers at him. You couldn’t eat underwear, flowers were debatable…

So under that extravagant playbird veneer… Yuuya could be homeless. Had he asked where Nageki lived in the hopes he would have somewhere to stay that night. Then Nageki had rejected him and he had felt so sad… Nageki suddenly felt awful. He was so lucky to have somewhere to live with Hiyoko and Ryouta and… he could at least offer Yuuya some help!

Nageki hurried back to the entrance to the disposal area as fast as his small legs and pile of books could allow.  The door was open, something he had given no thought to when initially he had passed it, but now he wondered how Yuuya had got through the heavy padlock now swinging uselessly off the handle. Well, breaking and entering or no breaking and entering, he needed to go and talk to Yuuya. By the time he approached the fantail, he was upside down in another bin, the red bag abandoned on the ground beside the first. On closer inspection, it was a fabric bag that had once held ‘fine quality sesame snacks’ So Yuuya was indeed foraging for food?

Nageki stared at the upside down upperclassman.  Well here went nothing.

“Yuuya?”

There was a squawk as said fantail fell in the dumpster out of shock.

“Yuuya!”

“I’m alright! I’m alright mon ami!”  His voice echoed in the metal dumpster. Nageki heard loud clattering before Yuuya finally emerged, perching on top of the bins and shaking who-knows-what out of his feathers. Nageki stepped back a little in disgust as Yuuya preened his tail a little…was that? Nageki didn’t want to know what that was.

“Ah Nageki, checking out my magnificent derrière were you? I understand, I really do. I often find it hard to arrange mirrors to-”

“No. I wasn’t.”

Nageki wasn’t going to let him go off down that train of thought. There were more important things to consider here than jokes about narcissism.  

“I was wondering what you were looking for in the rubbish. I thought you had gone home early.”

Yuuya laughed casually as if to wave the matter away but Nageki was resolute. He fixed Yuuya with the sort of the stare he gave noisy library-goers and door to door preachers.  Yuuya almost fell in the bin again.

“Ah, that’s a powerful weapon you’ve got there,” Yuuya fluttered to the ground, probably for his own safety, “Deadly yet adorable! You could slay this helpless innocent mon ami…”

“I would rather know why you’re head-first in the rubbish,” Nageki replied. He was trying his best not to sound severe. Yuuya was hushing up his need to hunt in the trash and Nageki didn’t want to sound like he was ridiculing him for it.

Yuuya laughed again but he was sounding increasingly disconcerted.

“Well…you could say… I was looking for my childhood memories! Sakuya used to have me thrown in the trash so often, it was almost like a second home! Now, what do you want Nageki? Why are you looking at the trash?”

“I was looking at you,” Nageki corrected.  It was clear Yuuya was never going to ask or talk about his situations so…well, Nageki could bring the topic up without really talking about it.

“I was thinking about what you asked me the other day,” he explained, “About visiting my home?”

Yuuya picked up the red bag off the floor and threw it back into the dumpster as he appeared to consider Nageki’s words.

“I remember.  What of it? You don’t want us flocking in and filling up your humble abode, completely understandable.”

Nageki nodded.  That hadn’t been a lie, but it hadn’t been the whole truth either. If he could make this slightly more about him then perhaps Yuuya wouldn’t end up defensively flirty. In all honesty, his playbird attitude was more off putting than downright rudeness. Perhaps that was why he did it even to people who weren’t customers?

“Well I may have lied a little,” Nageki continued, “We could probably fit everyone at a push but… I didn’t really want everyone to come over because they’d insult my family and cause chaos. But if you would like to come over some-“ He was cut off by the sight of Yuuya’s tail going full ‘poof’ as Hiyoko would call it.  That probably meant he was pleased…Sakuya’s tail did that when he was complimented a lot.

“Your words warm my little dove heart! You are truly a rare bloom in a field of thorns Nageki. I should have realised you didn’t want our less…softly-spoken companions to rub shoulders with your family!”

Yes definitely pleased. Thank goodness.

“Well…” Nageki continued awkwardly, “If you want to come over… Y-You could come for dinner today if you wanted. Or some other time if it’s better for you.”

Yuuya looked rather shocked for a moment but it seemed he was able to take even this unexpected invitation in his stride. Well that’s what Nageki thought until he was suddenly surrounded by white feathers. A hug? Yuuya was hugging him? How-how was he supposed to react to this?  There were soft feathers everywhere and the smell of rubbish was rather overwhelming but… Nageki was frozen in place, not sure whether to back away, drop his books and run, drop his books and try to return the gesture?  He made a sound a bit like a balloon deflating and Yuuya seemed to realise what had happened. Almost as an apology, he scooped the pile of books and treats from Nageki’s wings.

“I would be delighted to come for dinner. Here, I’ll carry these for you!”

“Th-thank you.”

“No, thank _you_!”

It didn’t take any more persuasion than that. They got to the main gates a lot faster than if Nageki had been alone and carrying all those books. Yuuya seemed to have little trouble at all. Perhaps he was rather muscular under all those feathers.  Either way, they had no trouble getting both their school bags and all of Nageki’s books onto the bus and into an overhead shelf. As they sat beside each other, Nageki wondered when it would be polite to offer Yuuya use of the shower when they got home. He really did stink.   However Yuuya seemed to be back up to full cheerfulness so he couldn’t bring himself to mentioned it right away.

Nageki stayed silent as the bus pulled away from the school. They kept their eyes on the window as they passed through the upper parts of the city. He probably would never have seen any of those buildings if he hadn’t got a scholarship for St PigeoNations. They lived in the lower city, near the very outskirts and Ryouta and Hiyoko lived and worked only a few roads from where they all lived. Nageki had always imagined that they would end up working either in the same places or as close by as they did. His health had been a lot better since they started going to St PigeoNations due to the free healthcare, so perhaps if he had never gone… Well he would have tried to work as hard as they did.  

He had the distinct impression that Yuuya was watching him as he watched the city pass by. Neither of them spoke all the way home but Yuuya didn’t seem bothered by it. The bus stopped at the end of the road and Nageki got off, clutching a few books whilst Yuuya carried the rest.

“Ah,” Yuuya exclaimed, “Now this is a street I haven’t been on. I guess it’s just houses down here?”

“Yes,” Nageki replied, “We’ll have to cross the road.”

Once upon the opposite pavement, Nageki noticed that Yuuya seemed to be taking in the area with great interest. It looked like any other residential street to Nageki. It was nothing special, well… There was a glaring exception to that comment. That didn’t mean it wasn’t normal to Nageki though.

“What’s that?”

They were halfway down the road when Yuuya noticed it. Quite frankly he’d have to blind not to notice that the big metal gates sticking out from the rest of the neat little houses. Nageki never stopped to look at them. He didn’t like the feeling of staring in through those bars when so often he had once peeked out of them, a much a smaller bird who wondered what went on at the ends of the road either side. Yuuya however had never seen those gates, or the scraps of police tape, or the vestiges of flowers left in mourning, or the plaque placed upon the wall beside the gates.

“This plaque stands in memory of the children and carers who died on the second of September 2180 at Hatoful House Centre for War Orphans. May their memory live on in the halls in which they played, and in our hearts.”

Below this was a list of names, a little grimy from years of neglect.  Nageki didn’t need to read it to know all the names there. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t remember their voices even now

“So this is where that happened,” Yuuya said in something like awe.

“Yes.”

“This was on the news. I remember watching the reporters as they said what happened when the police went in.”

“Yes.”

“We should put some more flowers there sometime.”

“Yes.”

Curiosity sated, Yuuya turned away from the plaque to see Nageki was already another metre or so down the road.

“So, where do you live?” he called as he hurried to keep up.

Nageki pointed with his unoccupied wing to the very end of the road.

“I live in the second to last house down there.  The bus only stops at the other end though.”

“I see,” Yuuya was staring at him. Nageki had assumed he was an understanding sort of bird. Had he really no idea why he was receiving only blunt answers? Maybe he thought it was best not to talk about it. Yuuya seemed to think it was a good time to change the topic of conversation. Perhaps that was a good idea.

“So, tell me about your family. Anything I should know before I meet them?”

Nageki considered this for a moment, seizing the proffered distraction.

“Well, it’s just my siblings and I at home,” he said, “Mrs Kawara… She’s the one who adopted me. She’s currently in hospital and Doctor Kawara never comes home. I hadn’t even met him before I went to St PigeoNations, I was too ill to last Christmas.”

“I see, Doctor Kawara’s family…I didn’t know he had one.” Yuuya seemed intrigued and surprisingly thoughtful about this fact.

“Well, he has a son,” Nageki added, “Called Ryouta Kawara. And the Kawaras adopted me and they also help my sister when it is too cold to live in her home.  Now Mrs Kawara isn’t there, we live just the three of us. Doctor Kawara pays for bills and things I think, but Ryouta and Hiyoko work to get food and necessaries. I would too but…” He stared at the pavement and Yuuya patted his wing sympathetically.

“Is this it?”

They had stopped outside a semi-detached house with a rather squashed front garden. It had clearly once been designed for humans for its path was big enough for a dozen birds to progress along. It seemed many birds had come through, or one very large one, for the flowers and shrubbery in the front garden were rather flat, and there were the remains of a broken sprinkler.

“Yes,” Nageki confirmed, “They should-“ His gaze caught on a scrap of card taped to the door. Hurrying up to it, he put the books down for a moment and fluttered up so he could read it at eye level. The scrawled in hasty capitals beside what looked like a drink stain, were the words:

**GONE HUNTING. STAYING AT OTHER HOME. BACK  TOMORROW.**

Below that, in neater and simpler hand.

_Working late. I will probably end up at Hiyoko’s. I’ll be back tomorrow, I left you something to reheat in the refrigerator.”_

Nageki sighed as Yuuya also set his burdens aside and came to have a look.

“Live with a bird of prey do you? Brave of you,” he commented, evidently reading the part about hunting.

“Not a bird of prey, a human,” Nageki corrected, pulling his key from his school bag. His Pretty Coore: Dark Grey key ring jingled a little as he put the key in the lock. He didn’t dislike Pretty Coore. It wasn’t exactly his thing, it had too many clichés and stereotypes for his taste. However he hadn’t really had much of a choice when Ryouta had come back with a trio set of ‘friendship key rings’ each with a Pretty Coore on them.

“A human?” Yuuya parroted, “Wow.”

That seemed to be all he had to say. This was slightly odd for Nageki had been expected another comment about bravery or a question about whether Hiyoko scared the neighbours. (She did, though perhaps not because she was a human. She had lived on this street longer than he had.) The door swung open and they shuffled inside, Nageki putting his books upon a shelf in the hallway. The entryway, similar to the rest of the house, bore the signs of being occupied by three students with no parent watching over them. Though neat and tidy (Nageki wouldn’t have it any other way and was mostly responsible for the housework) the juxtaposition of items you’d find in a normal family homes and things you most certainly wouldn’t…well it made it an interesting place to look at. If Nageki was seeing this house for the first time, he would wonder many things. Why was there a halberd in the umbrella stand? (Hiyoko.) Why were there twinkling fairy-lights wrapped around the bannister despite it not being Christmas? (Ryouta.) Why was there an improvised tennis ball gun made out of a poster-tube and bits of a human bicycle? (Hiyoko.) Why was there a bucket of paintballs slung over a coat hook? (Hiyoko again) Also why was there a nest consisting of blankets, what looked like a pet bed, and an electric blanket in the gap under the stairs? (Alright, that one was Nageki’s fault. It was just so comfortable!)

“This is certainly full of personality mon amie!” Yuuya commented, looking, as Nageki had predicted, at all the assembled oddities.

“Now the adults aren’t here…we kind of took over,” Nageki mumbled, before remembering he was supposed to be taking the part of the host…a normal host this time.

“Do you want a drink or something?”

They relocated to the kitchen. Whilst the kettle boiled, Nageki stowed away everything he had brought home from school and Yuuya sat politely at the kitchen table, looking about.  Nageki had no idea how Ryouta would react to an outsider seeing the selection of chick-hood drawings of his that were still stuck to the fridge. However Ryouta wasn’t here to object so Nageki saw no need to remove them.  Nageki poured them drinks and turned to see what Ryouta had left in the fridge. It was a common fact that Ryouta was a very good cook, and it was best to give your guests the best food you had. However it was a little odd if they ended up eating different food. Nageki ate very little so… There was a whole pasta bake in the fridge covered in foil. Yes, that was definitely enough. Perhaps Ryouta hadn’t known Hiyoko was going to be out when he made it.

“Ah.”

Nageki turned from the fridge as he heard Yuuya’s interjection.

“What’s the matter?” Did he not like pasta bake?

“The weather.” Nageki looked out the window. They had arrived home just in time. The heavens had opened,  drenching the garden so thoroughly that the windows had become opaque with running water. Nageki peered out the window, the sky was looking ominously dark… Hopefully there wasn’t going to be a storm whilst Yuuya was here…or at least hopefully there wouldn’t be thunder. He didn’t want Yuuya to see him like that.

“You-you can stay until that dies down,” Nageki offered. Yuuya thanked him profusely as Nageki handed him his tea.

The rain didn’t stop. In fact it got worse. It hit the windows so hard, Nageki became fretful for Hiyoko’s safety out hunting in the wilderness.  Yuuya watched him with evident concern as he tried to ring Hiyoko on her mobile, however what was swiftly becoming a rainstorm had ruined any phone reception.  Not only that, if Yuuya was indeed homeless… Nageki couldn’t send him out into that.

The fantail seemed to be having a nice time however. Nageki was happy to listen to him talk about how he’d once gone out in the rain with Sakuya when he was little. Apparently he looked adorable in tiny rain-boots and had a rose pattered raincoat that made him look like the perfect little flower chick.  This moved onto a discussion about rain-boots in which Yuuya explained a conversation he’d had with the quails the other day. Apparently it was really hard to find rain boots if you were a particularly tiny bird. The norm for clothing was set for rock doves, as they made up the highest number in the population. In the end, the pair had to have all their clothing tailored. Nageki said he got his raincoat from a charity shop and he liked it being too big. It got in the way of flying but, he only really went very far when he went to school. When he did that he could take the bus.

Even after their dinner, the rain gave no signs of letting up. In fact it was hitting so hard Nageki wondered if it was hailing. It wasn’t…that was just how hard the rain was hitting. It was becoming more and more likely that Yuuya was going to have to stay the night. When he cautiously approached this subject, Yuuya didn’t seem to mind. In fact he seemed quite over the moon about it.

 “Ah, a sleepover! So…what shall we do mon ami? Watch chick-flicks and talk about boys?”

“Erm.” The joke flew over the head of one who had never been to a sleepover, “I think Ryouta keeps his old films in our room and…I don’t know many boys.”

“Really?” Yuuya rested one wing on the kitchen table, “What about in your class? No cute monsieurs or mademoiselles catch your eye?”

“No one talks to me,” Nageki confessed, “I get ill so often, they seemed to think it’s catching when…when it’s just me.”

“You don’t seem ill at the club,” Yuuya questioned.

“I take all my medication so it helps before I go to the host club. I don’t want to fall ill there and miss a session. I think Sakuya would tell me off.”

“Ah, good idea.” They fell silent for a moment. Nageki considered asking whether they could move to his room or the living room. It was more comfy there but he didn’t know whether it was polite to suggest get up and leaving right now.

“You really don’t talk to anyone outside the host club?” Yuuya asked, breaking the silence and sounding oddly perplexed. Nageki shook his head.

“Not really,” he replied, “Well, actually, there’s Anghel, but he comes to see me during host club hours or, as I’m going or leaving.”

“Well, that’s someone,” Yuuya chirruped, “It would be sad if you were left with us all day! There’s only a certain amount of craziness somebirdie can handle in one day…though you do hang out with Anghel…”

“I don’t think he’s crazy,” Nageki was surprised by the defensiveness in his own voice, “I think he knows perfectly well what’s going on, he just sees the world a bit differently to everyone else. “

“Well we know there’s some merit to his ‘prophecies’,” Yuuya stifled a yawn behind one wing, “Do you mind if we moved to somewhere more comfortable? My magnificent derrière is getting numb on these dining chairs.”

Maybe it would have been better to move!

“Oh of course… we could go upstairs to my room…well I share it with Ryouta. He’ll probably be staying at Hiyoko’s tonight. It’s closer to his work.”

Nageki got to his feet and carefully took the plates over to the dishwasher. Yuuya came over to help and in no time, the dishwasher was whirring and they were making their way upstairs. Nageki and Ryouta’s room was split pretty much down the middle. Nageki’s bed had been added when he had been adopted so it was jammed a little awkwardly under the window. He had a wardrobe and desk of his own, the rest of his space was a veritable fortress of books. No one ever knew what to give him for Christmas or his birthday, so they always got him books. Unfortunately, they didn’t all fit on Ryouta’s bookshelf alongside Ryouta’s things. So Nageki had piled them up in something like a fortification.  Yuuya stared at it then at the other side of the room, which was filled with brightly coloured posters, trinkets and a noticeable heap clothing on the floor.

“I clean up most of the house but he does his side of the room,” Nageki explained, eying the window which was still being pummelled with rain.

“I see.” Yuuya nodded and followed Nageki as he carefully fluttered over various piles of books to collect some cushions. Once they settled down, the room settled into awkwardness again.  Nageki fiddled with a tassel on the cushion, hoping Yuuya would start up another conversation. He wasn’t disappointed.

“So…” Yuuya began, “Well…have you been to a sleepover before?”

“No,” Nageki admitted.

“What do you usually do on a Friday evening?”  Yuuya tried. He seemed to have realised Nageki wasn’t exactly the social butterfly like him, but Nageki still felt his answer would disappoint.

“Homework…sorry.”

“It’s alright,  want me teach you how to have a sleepover?”

Nageki nodded. That sounded alright he guessed. He hadn’t really thought through this proper entertaining-thing through.  He was a little curious as to what a real sleepover was like. He had read about them in particularly cliché books or in television programming intended for younger audiences.  Of course those would be nothing like the truth, television was a very skewed version of reality.

“Right,” Yuuya announced, “We need…some snacks, ribbons, or  tin-foil, a few blankets and some films!”

Films were easy. Ryouta had a lot DVDs on his bookshelf and they could use his computer to watch them.  Snacks came from the treats he’d brought home from school. Tin foil was also very easy to find, though why on earth they would need tin foil, Nageki couldn’t quite work out.  He carried as much as he could back up the stairs. He could hear the rain hammering on the roof as he re-entered his bedroom.

“I’ve got all the-“

CRASH

_“Nageki!”_

A loud rumbling sent Nageki fleeing towards the landing. He didn’t bother with the staircase, choosing to fly over the railing and swoop straight into his blanket nest. With three blankets over his head, Nageki sat perfectly still, trying to keep his breathing as quiet as possible. If they couldn’t hear they couldn’t find him. If they couldn’t hear, they couldn’t find him. If they couldn’t hear-

“Nageki?”

Another rumbling and Nageki flinched. However he knew better than to move from this spot.

“Nageki…ah…ok, you’re scared of storms. You could’ve said.”

Nageki flinched again as Yuuya moved the blankets a little so he could sneak under and sit beside the frozen mourning dove. The sight of his white feathers snapped Nageki back into the here and now. No one there had had feathers so such a brilliant white…not for very long anyway. He hid his head behind his wings.

“It’s alright,” Yuuya assured him, “It’s alright, lots of people are scared of storms.” Another rumble of thunder and Nageki jumped again, a soft and frightened coo escaping him involuntarily.

“I’m-I’m not scared of storms,” he stammered, trying to seem less pathetic than he was, “I’m…scared of thunder.”

“Thunder?” Yuuya repeated, before hastily backtracking, perhaps upon noticing how much Nageki was shaking, “You don’t have to speak about it if-“

However Nageki did want to speak about it so he didn’t seem stupid.

“It-it sounds like gunfire….well it sounds like what gunfire sounds like if you’re in a cupboard.”

“Gun…fire…”Yuuya suddenly cursed in what was probably French. Nageki could tell it was a curse word from the tone.

“Mon dieu, I’m an idiot.” He stretched out one wing and put it round the trembling dove beside him, “I understand…you’re tougher than I imagined mon ami, walking past that every day.” He looked out from under the blankets as another rumble of thunder echoed overhead, followed by a clap of lightening. Yuuya caught Nageki as he jumped and almost toppled sideways in his efforts to remain as still as a statue.

“Right,” Yuuya decided, “Right, we’re going back upstairs. We’re going to put a film on and chat. We’ll block out this horrible thunder with something cheerful. You said your brother had some chick-flicks? I bet a nice children’s film would be good about now.”

Nageki nodded and allowed himself to be escorted, blankets and all, back up the stairs. Yuuya picked up Ryouta’s laptop and put it on top of a pile of books. (Nageki was too busy not focussing on the thunder to notice the ease at which Yuuya circumvented Ryouta’s password.) He then fluttered over the book case and exclaimed:

“Ah, the Kawaras have good taste in what movies to raise a chick on. All the birdified classics… Sakuya used to love watching Snow White, mostly because it had a fantail taking the lead I expect.” He nattered on as Nageki pulled their duvet off their bed and put that over their head as well. That combined with Yuuya’s talking was helping drown out the sound of the storm outside.

“Ah, Cinderella! You don’t see many mourning doves in films. Let’s watch that.”

Yuuya retreated with the DVD and put it in Ryouta’s laptop.  Nageki peered out from his duvet cocoon as the film started playing.

“We haven’t done a fairy-tale day since you’ve been at the host club,” Yuuya commented, settling beside him, “Last one was hilarious, we had the quails dressed as Hansel and Gretel, and they were sugar high by the end of it.  It’s surprising how fast a button quail can run after you’ve given them enough chocolate. Also Sakuya got to be Prince Charming of course whilst yours truly-“

He kept on talking through the entire film however Nageki didn’t mind. It was easier to lose himself in the noise closest to him so he allowed Yuuya to carry on extolling the many adventures and mishaps the host club had taken part in over the last year and a half. Yuuya seemed to have no end of things to talk about so Nageki let him keep going until the sound of chattering and twinkling music lulled them in a pleasant half-doze. They liked being warm and in company. If Yuuya hadn’t been here… Ryouta and Hiyoko would probably have come home tomorrow to find him in the airing cupboard or under the sink. They knew better than to tease him but still…this was preferable.

“Say, Nageki?”

“Hmm?” Half-asleep, Nageki thought Yuuya sounded very far away.

“If you were a lady dove, who would you visit in the host club? Who would you pick?”

“I’d rather go and hang out with Anghel,” they murmured into the duvet, “He speaks genuinely.”

“Fair enough. No use hanging round a liar, right?” Yuuya shifted a little as the film broke into another musical number.

“Depends.” Nageki mumbled, “Depends what they-“

“They?” Yuuya asked. However Nageki had already fallen asleep.

Everything was quiet the following morning. Nageki woke up bundled up safely on top of his own bed. The curtains had been closed at some point in the night so now stripes of colour covered the room as the light of mid-morning attempted to fill the room. As they lay, they heard a distant flap of wings from the road outside and the rumble of a passing grocery van.  Next door always had their groceries delivered about this time. He yawned and nestled into the duvet-blanket cocoon. He could just about see white feathers on Ryouta’s bed. Yuuya had obviously not needed to be told that was where he was sleeping. Good. He should have stayed up a little longer but…it had been the end of the week and that was the right time to be exhausted.  He rolled over a little to stare at the glow in the dark stars stuck to the ceiling.  Ryouta and Hiyoko hadn’t come back so this would turn out to be a very peaceful Saturday morn-

DING DONG

Nageki bolted upright. The door? At this hour? Well it was about ten in the morning according to Ryouta’s clock, but still, no one came to the door on a Saturday morning. Hiyoko and Ryouta had front door keys so didn’t need to use the doorbell. It better not be another preacher for their sake. Nageki had become very good at glaring them away.

DING DONG

“I’m coming.” Nageki disentangled himself and fluttered out the room and down the stairs. He reached for the handle, open the door and-

_“I didn’t say you could come here!”_

On the doormat sat the host club. All of them.  Every last one of them despite the fact he had told none of them where he lived.  Decked out in raincoats and boots,  they stared expectantly at him as rain continued to fall overhead. It was lighter than yesterday thank goodness, but they clearly expected to be invited in.

“I said yesterday that you shouldn’t turn up here,” Nageki cried pitifully. Suddenly something occurred to him and betrayal hit him like slap with a wet umbrella.

“Did Yuuya lead you here?”

“Why would I need that mongrel to tell me where to go?” Sakuya retorted, “As Head of the Host Club it is my job to know everything about my subordinates, including where they live. Now, extend your hospitality to us before we are soaked out here!”

“There isn’t room for all of you in here,” Nageki protested, clutching hold of the door as if it was his lifeline, “And you’d just mock the place.”

“ We wouldn’t, we promise! ” exclaimed Nanaki, “It’s cold and it’s wet!”

“I know...” Nageki grumbled, however the weather didn’t change the fact that Hiyoko and Ryouta could come home and find their home full of stranger birds! Hiyoko would break so many things and possibly some of the host club members! Who knew how far that could escalate considering these snobby noblebirds... Their parents would want repercussions, what if they lost this house? Nageki didn’t want the host club here as much for their own safety as that of this family’s future! What would they say to the home of a family of common rock doves? Would they comment about Ryouta’s work? This couldn’t possibly go well!

“Ah, good morning!”

Not now Yuuya…

“That mongrel got an invite!” squawked Sakuya. Nageki wanted to fly far far away…however that meant they’d get in the house.

“No…he got stuck here during that storm,” Nageki sighed, “But….fine. You-you can all stay for a cup of tea. Just, please leave before my family get back. They won’t like it that I let you all in.”

“We will accept these conditions,” Sakuya said self-importantly, “Now prepare us refreshment!”

Nageki sighed and stood back to let them come in and take off their coats and boots.

One by one he shepherded them into the living room. Thank goodness he was so meticulous with his tidying. Who knows what they would think otherwise!   Once they were inside, Nageki closed the door and fled into the kitchen. Never in a million years had he expected, or wanted, to be play host to the host club. He could hear them talking in the living room and it sounded like they were already inspecting the place from top to bottom.

“This is admittedly larger than I was expecting.”

“Larger! How are you meant to have a proper reception in this?”

“This is a common family home little brother, they won’t have many receptions.”

“Hitori! They’ve got all the Pretty Coore DVDs! I don’t have that many!”

“Hey. Where are you going?”

Nageki looked away from the kettle in time to see Shuu pass by the kitchen towards the stairs. Was he going to use the bathroom? It was scary enough to have him in his house, Nageki wasn’t going to ask him or approach him as to his habits. For all Nageki knew, the partridge may have been here before. He was rather close to Doctor Kawara…even if Nageki had never seen the doctor here before let alone Shuu. That didn’t mean he hadn’t come round when Nageki was in hospital at Christmas…

As the kettle finished, Nageki rooted in the cupboard for the sugar and some biscuits. They undoubtedly wouldn’t be to the high standard of a noblebird but they just had to deal with that. They had imposed on this house after all so they could eat whatever biscuits they were given. It took three trips to carry everything into the other room, the last trip presented him with some very confused birds.

“Where’s the teapot?” asked Sakuya, with as much befuddlement as indignation.

“The tea is already in the mug for you,” Nageki pointed out, adding milk to Yuuya’s tea and passing it over. He already knew what Yuuya took from yesterday.

“Then how did you prepare it so fast? Where is the tea strainer? Why don’t all these…vessels, match?”

“Normal people use tea bags,” Nageki retorted, offering a mug and the sugar pot to Nanaki, “We don’t have a tea pot,  or a fancy tea set. This is perfectly fine.”

“Such poverty,” huffed Sakuya. He was eying his Pretty Coore Light Grey mug with a mixture of trepidation and disgust. Nageki cast him a glare but he didn’t seem to pay any attention as he spooned sugar into the mug regardless of its ‘poverty’. Once everyone had their tea, Nageki took his own and sat on the floor, the others having taken up the sofa and the armchair.

“So why did you even want to come here?” he asked, deciding to abuse the slight authority he had gained in this situation.

“We want to see how you live,” Nanaki spoke with such enthusiasm it made his sentence rather creepy, “You never talk to us about what it’s like at home so we had to come see for ourselves.”

“Maybe that’s because someone I knew someone would call me impoverished for not having a tea pot,” Nageki mumbled into his tea.

“Well, if even Sakazaki got an invitation then I saw no reason why we wouldn’t be received,” announced Sakuya primly, “Though I see how this place is more suited to the likes of him.”

“You’re supposed to be nice when you’re a guest little brother,” Yuuya seemed to be suppressing laughter, though Nageki wished he would share whatever was so funny, “Did you not listen in your etiquette lessons?”

“Of course I did you-!”

As what promised to be a fantail versus fantail argument erupted, Nageki turned to the button quails who seemed to be enjoying their tea in relative peace and quiet.  Nanaki  was staring at Hitori. Hitori however… Was it just Nageki’s imagination or did Hitori seemed rather miserable?

“Are you alright?” he asked, moving a little closer to the sofa. Hitori looked up, a little surprised by the sudden interest.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

There was the sound of flapping wings and an indignant squawk from behind them. Yuuya seemed to be trying to give Sakuya a lecture of some sort. Needless to say it wasn’t going very well.

“Are you sure?” Nageki pressed. Nanaki nodded in earnest beside Hitori, clearly having noticed something was up as well.

Hitori sighed.

“I was just thinking that if I knew this was where you lived, I could have brought flowers to the gates myself instead of having someone else do it. My parents still won’t let me go here on my own in case someone twigs.”

“That you’re adopted?” whispered Nanaki. He didn’t really need to, the fantails were making so much noise they were never going to hear anyone else. Nageki looked about to see if anything had been broken before focussing back on this riveting new piece of information.

“Yeah.”

Nageki just wanted to get something straight. There was only one place Hitori would be leaving flowers on this road, and if he was adopted… No one got adopted from Hatoful House for the entire time Nageki was there, he was sure of it. However he had thought Hitori’s voice was oddly familiar.

“You lived in Hatoful House too?”

Hitori looked surprised.

“You as well?”

Nageki nodded.

“That explains why all the photos are of rock doves,” Nanaki added, gesturing to the mantelpiece, “Nageki got adopted too!”

“Yes…Mrs Kawara adopted me after she discovered one orphan survived.”

“Survived?” Hitori sounded aghast, “You lived through…oh gosh…” He looked like he wanted to leap forwards and wrap his wings about Nageki. He’d put down his tea and was moving forwards when:

CRASH

There was a crash somewhere behind Nageki. He whipped round to discovered Yuuya’s mug had been sent flying, smashing upon the ground, the hot tea soaking into the carpet. Nageki let out a small cry as he fluttered to his feet and confronted the warring fantails.

“STOP THAT.”

They both turned, Sakuya’s wings about Yuuya’s throat. Nageki pointed at the spreading stain upon the cream carpet.

“I didn’t know you could shout mon amie,” Yuuya commented. He looked down and winced, “Where’s your cleaning stuff…I’ll get that.”

“You better,” Sakuya snapped, “You have besmirched this hovel even-“ Nageki didn’t let him finished.

“You’re going to help him!” he ordered, “This is my house and you didn’t even get invited here and you’ve made a mess! Go-“

There was a loud click  from the hallway.

“NAGEKI! We’re home!”

No. No, no, no, this wasn’t good! This was the opposite of good!  Everyone in the living room froze as Nageki began to panic. He could try and get the host club to fly out the window, but Shuu was still upstairs and that would result in a lot of spilt tea. He could try and distract Hiyoko and Ryouta whilst they were escaping out the window, but he was a terrible liar and the partridge was still upstairs. Also the host club would never consent to being thrown out the window and they’d already done enough damage to the carpet. What could he do? What was there to do? He didn’t want the host club meeting his family! He didn’t want his family knowing he worked in a host club! He had told them absolutely nothing about his extra-curricular activities, he’d just said he studied after school. Oh what would they think? They would surely laugh.

“Nageki?” called Ryouta

“I’m-I’m here!” Nageki called, sounding as panicked as he felt. There was nothing for it…

“Good morning!” he trilled, fluttering into the hallway, “I hope you had a nice evening, that storm was horrible, I hope you didn’t get caught up in it. I was fine, I hid the entire night. Look there’s something I need to explain and it really isn’t my fault. They just turned up here and…and… _Dead animals go in the garden!”_

Hiyoko had Ryouta sat on one shoulder and… a dead deer slung over the other. Nageki hid his eyes behind his wings at the grisly sight as he felt faint. He hadn’t seen the blood. He hadn’t seen the blood. He hadn’t…

“Nageki!”

By the time he had come round, the damage had been done. He woke up on the sofa to find Hiyoko sitting on the ground, free of blood, but surrounded by curious birds.  In one corner, Ryouta was sat next to Yuuya and they appeared to be looking at something on Yuuya’s mobile phone.  It was not the scene of instant carnage that Nageki had been expecting. No one had been thrown out of any windows. Someone had sorted out the stain on the carpet and…

“You did not tell us you lived with a human Fujishiro!” Sakuya accused. He was still sitting on the armchair but seemed to be gradually shifting, as if magnetised, towards Hiyoko.

“You didn’t tell us you had all these friends Nageki!” Hiyoko lifted Nanaki up off the floor and above her head as the button quail looked distinctly terrified at being used like trophy.

“I-I had my reasons,” Nageki managed, wondering if she was going to put the poor quail down, “And-and they’re not all my friends I mean…some of them are I guess. I just…”

“You didn’t tell us you worked at a host club?” Ryouta chipped in, “Why did you think you needed to hide that from me?”

“A host club?” Hiyoko repeated, “Is that like a maid café?”

“Why aren’t you honest with your siblings Fujishiro?” demanded Sakuya, who seemed ruffled at having his club compared to a maid café, “Liars are the worst sort of commoners! How could you not tell them about the host club?”

Nageki let out a pitiful coo and buried his face in a cushion like the history books said ostriches used to do in sand. Hiyoko seemed to realise something was seriously the matter for she suddenly let out an exclamations of:

“We’re going paintballing on me!”

Nanaki and Sakuya didn’t have much choice in the matter for she scooped the fantail up and walked out the room with a bird under each arm. Hitori watched her depart and glanced back at Nageki. He seemed torn between going to Nanaki’s rescue and staying behind with one who was obviously distressed as well. There was a clatter in the hallway as Hiyoko retrieved her bucket of paintballs. She worked at the paintballing centre after school, and Nageki knew she got a number of free tickets for afternoon sessions. It was very kind of her to use those to grant him a little freedom. He nodded at Hitori to tell him he would be fine and Hitori hurried after the others.

“Aren’t you going?” Ryouta asked Yuuya. The fantail was staring at the carpet with an air Nageki could only call forlorn.  He’d seemed perfectly spirited when fighting Sakuya, what had happened since then to make him like this.

“I’m not very good at it, but it’s fun. Hiyoko will give you a free session, she works there.” Ryouta encouraged, “I’ll stay here with Nageki. It’s ok.”

Yuuya looked up and simply nodded. In a flurry of white feathers he was out in the hall with everyone else. Nageki heard Sakuya asking what paintballing was. Well, he was going to be in for a surprise. Nageki hated guns, even if they were firing paint but…he was almost tempted to go and see Sakuya’s pristine white feathers covered in splatters of colour from where, undoubtedly, the others would take the opportunity for some revenge.  Nageki still wasn’t entirely sure what he felt about Hiyoko’s career choice. He understood that it was all a bit of entertainment but there was a certain…

“Nageki?” Ryouta came to sit next to him on the sofa.

“I’m sorry,” Nageki mumbled into a cushion, “I never intended for them to come here and bother you.”

“We’re not angry,” Ryouta chuckled, “They’re a completely crazy bunch. Hiyoko will put them in shape, I know she will! They’ll never come back after they’ve gone paintballing with her.”

“True.”  Nageki sat up, bringing the cushion with him. There was an awkward moment of silence in which, Nageki caught sight of Shuu moving past the living room window. When did he get out there? Was he going to shoot people with paint too? It seemed unlikely. Where had he been all this time? Snooping round the house? Nageki was never one to break a silence, so it was only natural that Ryouta took that task upon himself.

“You looked really cute in that maid dress,” he commented.

Nageki stared at him aghast. Was that what they had been doing together, Ryouta and Yuuya? Had Yuuya been showing Ryouta on his phone? When did he take photographs?

“I mean it,” Ryouta insisted, “You were adorable. The wizard costume was sweet too. You would make a fortune at Merry Feather. You must be a pretty popular host.”

“Something like that,” Nageki mumbled, “Please don’t feel bad that I didn’t tell you…I’m sorry. I’m not trying to say working like that is bad, it’s just…”

“You don’t like being the centre of attention?” Ryouta suggested. Nageki nodded.

“Also. They forced me into it,” he continued, “I didn’t volunteer. I broke a vase and…they literally threatened to disembowel me if I didn’t work for them. That’s how I ended up a maid.”

“Wow.” Ryouta seemed to believe him, the shock on his face certainly gave Nageki that idea.

“They seem so nice, a little quirky, but…wow.”

Nageki nodded in agreement.

“Yuuya, Hitori and Nanaki are alright. Sakuya is annoying but it’s mostly the partridge that scares me, he was the one who threatened to take my lungs,” he mumbled, “His-His name is Shuu…or sometimes Isa. I think he’s got a crush on your father.”

“He’s certainly- wait _what_?”

Nageki looked up at Ryouta who sat stunned.

“Your father works at St PigeoNations,” he commented. Perhaps he should have started with that first.

“Yeah, I guess but…” Ryouta looked about as if trying to make up his mind about whether to stay or go. He clapped his wings together and got up.

“Right, we are going to have a long chat over cupcake making. Come on Nageki!” He put a wing round the mourning dove and slowly steered him towards the kitchen.

 The host club could be threatening. Hiyoko could be rather threatening. However if you excluded Shuu from the equation nothing was more scary than Ryouta forcibly smiling over cupcake tins as he made Nageki spill everything he knew and had experienced at the host club. Once over the initial shock, their conversation became more casual and light hearted, however that didn’t stop Ryouta managing to get everything out of Nageki. Everything. From his ‘induction’ to Anghel, nothing was left unturned and Nageki left the encounter feeling both relieved and scared as he went to wash the icing sugar off his feathers. His reward for his bravery was the leftover bowl of cake mixture so there was no way he could call Ryouta a tyrant but still… There was a level of niceness that got almost creepy and Ryouta’s rather fixed smile as he was assured his father was not sleeping with his teaching assistant was a little terrifying. Nageki had been so glad when things turned more casual.

“If they cause you any more trouble, I’ll send Hiyoko after them!” exclaimed Ryouta sitting beside Nageki and his bowl of cake mix on the sofa. He reached for the remote and found the episode of Pretty Coore he’d recorded.

“Just remember that we’ll never be ashamed of what you do Nageki. Make the best of what you have!”

“Thanks Ryouta.”

Nageki wearily started on the cake batter and contemplated how lucky he truly was to have a life outside of the host club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next episode of Hatoful High School Host Club!
> 
> A fallen angel. A dark bargain. A dangerous quest. Though he has freed the Exquisite Brethren from the Golden Messenger’s grasp, he must press on in that terrible arena. One treasure lies between him and bounteous glory… A prize he cannot obtain alone, for the Crimson Angel of Judecca does not know how.


	5. The Crimson Angel needs an Adult Feel!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A magnificent event is being held by the Exquisite Brethren... or the Host Club by any other name. However not only has Nageki got his own health to contend with, but Anghel has come to the clubroom with a very odd request. What is an 'Adult Feel' anyway?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I must confess, I said this chapter was going to be the last one. However due to the amazing reaction I've received for this story, I will not only be opening up to requests after the main story is done, I am also adding another chapter!
> 
> For more information on that, see the teaser at the end of this chapter. For now, please enjoy this new episode of Hatoful High School Host Club!

 

_“Your artistic vision is certainly unique, certainly very you… Yet it lacks something essential to the fantasy genre, it lacks ties to real life, to the here and now. In short Higure, it requires an Adult Feel!”_

Miles away from the Golden Weekly Publishing Agency offices, a mourning dove sat surrounded by vases feeling slightly intimidated but mostly shocked.  The last few weeks had been eventful in entirely the wrong ways. Well he had spent three days at home ill, but… Well it had been a learning experience nevertheless. Firstly he had received a complete tirade about the evil that was paintballing on the Monday morning after the host club had decided to show up at his house. Sakuya was instructed him to never let Hiyoko come within the vicinity of the host club ever again. Nageki took this opinion with a pinch of salt. He was later informed by the others that Sakuya had got very competitive. Though, as Hitori mentioned later:

“Sakuya mostly hit trees; however he was with Hiyoko so he looked better than he really did.”

It seemed they’d split into two teams. Sakuya and Hiyoko versus Yuuya, Hitori and Nanaki. Hiyoko counted for two birds apparently, however that didn’t stop the other team winning. According to Hitori and Nanaki, who were eager to share their experiences whether Nageki wanted to hear or not, Yuuya was surprisingly good with a gun, as in shockingly good. Hitori was sure however that he was stopping anybirdie shooting Sakuya too much. Hiyoko made a better target anyway. Though, as Nanaki whispered behind his wing, Sakuya made some funny noises when you got paint on him. Apparently afterwards Sakuya stormed out into a car that had been sent for him, however the button quails went back to Yuuya’s flat with him for lunch. Upon the revelation that Yuuya owned a flat and had his own food, Nageki couldn’t help but wonder anew why Yuuya had to root around in the rubbish. He hadn’t yet got round to asking but… Would Yuuya tell him anyway?

He’d thought about it long and hard whilst on ‘shop duty’. Shuu was away one session and Nageki was left to cover his corner, which turned out to contain something like a merchandise shop. He hadn’t even noticed any cameras but they were selling photographs of the hosts there. Not only that, but fan-made manga volumes - ‘doujinshis’ they were called, featuring fictional adventures of the host club. Also copies of Anghel’s manga could be found on the shelves beside some volumes that had brown paper round them…Nageki apparently was too young to look at those. Talking of Anghel, he had come to visit Nageki a lot recently. Sakuya had given Nageki a warning that the ‘crazy Luzon’ would drive off his customers. However Anghel was very much a paying customer and it was great to talk to some birdie who wasn’t a typical customer or a host for a change. Nageki had taken to grammar checking the scripts for his manga and pointing out plot inconsistencies. It also seemed Anghel was in on whatever was wrong with Yuuya. His Yuuya-inspired characters had two different personas, a good heroic one which was like Yuuya’s playbird attitude, and a bewitched evil one…was that a sign that some birdie was controlling the real Yuuya? The controller was Shuu in the manga but Nageki had yet to ask Anghel about this and was wondering whether it was polite to talk about his fellow hosts behind their backs. Well, about hosts he liked anyway.

He now told Hiyoko and Ryouta everything that happened at the host club and he may have paid the occasional insult. Nothing terrible though! Anyway, he hadn’t seen the statistics, but it seemed Anghel was bringing in more customers. They had widened his little tea party area to accommodate a new type of follower. They only tended to come when Anghel was there… They seemed to have some sort of code or secret language made up of nonsense words and species of birds. Or at least that was all Nageki could make of whispers of: “Shy Mourning Dove ex Lonely Bleeding-Heart Dove, so-so moe!” and what on earth did OTP stand for? He considered asking Ryouta in case he knew but hadn't got round to it yet. Were they there to see Anghel? Couldn’t they go to the manga clubroom for that? Nageki didn’t quite understand but Yuuya seemed to find them very entertaining so there was that at least.

It was nice to find Yuuya something to talk about that wasn’t the package Ryouta had slipped in Nageki’s school bag last week. It was addressed to Yuuya so he hadn’t touched it. The only reason why he hadn’t kicked up a fuss upon finding out what was in there, was because Ryouta had left him a handwritten note on the inside of the dress he was now wearing. This note had been pinned to the label that said ‘Property of Merry Feather’. Nageki cursed this new-found alliance when he was handed the package back, this time as a costume for Friday’s theme.

_Good luck Nageki! I’m sure you’ll be great; with a professional costume like this one you’ll be sure to look better than all those noblebirds! You and Yuuya will be the best in the school! :V_

With Ryouta expecting great things from him, he couldn’t bring himself to back away from this Friday’s event in the school grounds. They were catching the last warmth of Autumn and having a dinner party outside where students, parents and teachers alike were invited to a large lit area with normal waiters and waitresses (hired by Sakuya along with the cooks), however there was a separate veranda where customers could have dinner with the hosts.  The theme of the entire evening was Alice in Wonderland, and he was to be Alice judging by the dress he had been given. He could only hope none of his teachers decided to turn up and see him dressed like that…even if his costume was particularly good this time.

Everything seemed to be running smoothly, the host club was still in their clubroom getting into costume and making last minute arrangements. Well, as far as Nageki was concerned it was running smoothly, Sakuya however was not happy as he ran about in his King of Hearts costume.

“These are nothing like the arrangements in your catalogue,” he shouted into the phone at the unfortunate florist, “I demand somebirdie come and-“ He stared at the phone. It seemed the florist had hung up on him.

“FUJISHIRO!”

“What is it?” Nageki sighed, he had been grooming the parts of his wings which had been ruffled by putting this dress on.

“You will be arranging these flowers with me to make them suitable for our guests!”

That had been twenty minutes ago and however Nageki put flowers in the vase, Sakuya was not happy with it.

“Don’t you know a thing about flower-arranging?” he snapped as Nageki tried to work out what was wrong with how he’d already done it.

“No birdie has ever taught me how to arrange flowers,” Nageki informed him, “I had a normal bird’s education before I came to this place.”

Sakuya huffed and turned.  Nageki got a face full of tail feathers.

“SAKAZAKI!”

“Mrow!”

“Stop going mrow and come and arrange these flowers!”

Nageki took this as a chance to escape. As Yuuya came to see what was going on, resplendent in his Cheshire Cat costume,  Nageki slipped to one side and was just about free of the cluster of vases when-

CRASH

On instinct, Nageki threw his wings open to place himself between the rolling Luzon Bleeding-Heart dove and the expensive vases. However Anghel was brought to a stop when he hit the back of an armchair. Nageki rushed forward to see if he was alright. Anghel had promised to stop breaking windows and had been very good at coming in through the door for the last few months. So what was so urgent now that he had to destroy the architecture?

“Anghel are you alright?”

“I must embark on a quest!” Anghel exclaimed, louder than Sakuya’s window-based protests.

“What do you need to do?” Nageki asked. Anghel seemed especially loud this afternoon, was this a cause for concern? He couldn’t smell any coffee despite Anghel’s apparent agitation. This could be bad.

“I must obtain a treasure far surpassing the limits of this servant’s comprehension! To seek the aid of the Brethren of the Hall of Exquisite Infamy is the only path laid before me! They must possess the vital lore to aid me in this most exquisite of trials!”

“Well I’ll help however I-“ Anghel did not let Nageki finished

“Caller of Stars!” He rolled over so he was the right way up and could get to his feet, “A kind soul such as yourself and the comradery of the Apostle of the Golden Rose would be a great stepping stone on the path to enlightenment. Where may I seek audience with the Apostle of the Golden Rose?”

“He’s flower-arranging over there,” Nageki was about to point when he realised the combination of vases and Anghel in close proximity to each other may be too much for Sakuya to cope with.

“I’ll get him for you.”

Sakuya seemed to have adopted the saying ‘if you want something done properly, you better do it yourself’ as his motto, so it was fairly easy to extract Yuuya from the frantic floristry.  The bell on his cat collar jingled as he fluttered over to where Anghel now was occupying the armrest of a sofa.

“What’s going on?” asked Yuuya, eyeing the new arrival who was swinging his feet back and forth with agitation.

“Apostle of the Golden Rose!” Anghel exclaimed, spreading his wings seemingly in greeting, “I require your aid on a most dire circumstance! I have encountered straights so treacherous this fallen servant cannot pass through its mirk alone!”

“He needs help with something he doesn’t understand,” translated Nageki. Yuuya seemed grateful for this.

“What’s wrong?” he asked the pair of them.

“I seek out the treasure that will lift this angel’s wings to the realms of artistry! This Crimson Breast beats in pursuit of a rare jewel honoured by the Golden Winged Messenger! I seek out an Adult Feel!”

“Erm,” Nageki wasn’t entirely sure about that last part but he thought it got the general gist.

“He wants to get his manga published by Nishikikouji Tohri’s company but Nishikikouji Tohri told him he lacked something called an…Adult Feel? He doesn’t act grown up enough.”

Anghel nodded fervently.

“This Adult Feel is an elusive reward than I cannot entrap with this cursed form alone.”

“I see…” Yuuya sounded contemplative, “So you want to learn how to be more mature…more adult-like?” The rising chuckle in his voice betrayed his amusement. Nageki thought Anghel had a greater chance of learning ‘sophistication’ from some birdie like Yuuya than himself. Yuuya was a commoner with a noble’s knowledge and etiquette; he was also the king of the host club no matter what anybirdie said around Sakuya. He had helped Nageki become a host so surely he could work his magic on Anghel as well. Nageki may have to act translator but any tutelage would likely include some…rewording lessons.

“I do! Great knight, you are a prince amongst the Exquisite Brethren, would you make me your squire in the hunt of the Adult Feel?

“I’d be delighted to mon ami! We can start your instruction tonight. You’ll be a little prince all by yourself in no time!”

“Ah! Your kindness brings tears to this fallen servant’s gaze!”

It seemed Nageki had escaped having to provide etiquette lessons to Anghel, which could only be beneficial.  He wasn’t a prince, more like…the little servant-bird who got called ‘cute’ but didn’t really do anything consequential.

“Right!” Yuuya struck a heroic pose, “We can start tonight! The first step on your path to princedom is…this hat!”

Nageki wasn’t entirely sure where he had got that top hat, but he realised Yuuya’s plan at once. The wonky garment was the Mad Hatter’s top hat, fitting perfectly into their Alice in Wonderland theme. Was Anghel going to work as a host this evening? Was that…really a good idea?

“I’ll find the rest of the costume in a moment,” Yuuya explained as Anghel put the hat on obediently, “However tonight, sit at Nageki’s table. I know you’ve got a ticket there already. Watch how everybirdie interacts in a formal setting. It’s a good way of starting off before I give you lessons.”

“I will endeavour to act in the most chivalric manner!”

Nageki didn’t get a say in this. In all honesty, he rarely did. If Anghel had planned to be at his table anyway then there wasn’t really any grounds for objection but…well, to act at such a formal dinner, let alone keep Anghel proper whilst he did so, seemed like a challenge no birdie had taught him to face.  He wasn’t raised with etiquette books like Sakuya and Yuuya. He wasn’t very sociable and got all his sympathy from being awkward and pitiable. There would be parents and teachers at this event, people who saw him outside the host club!  He needed to be taught before Anghel could learn by example. Not only that, he had to act formal as well as pretending to be Alice who had fallen down the rabbit hole! How was he supposed to pull this one off? Oh, he felt queasy… He shouldn’t have sat amongst all those flowers.

He continued feeling ill all the way downstairs to the special event outside. Sakuya had really gone to town with the decorations. The main area, which was devoid of hosts and was simply a large fancy meal, was pull of candlelit glass tables with neat cloths and ornate wine glasses that looked more valuable than Nageki’s life. It was colourful and quirky, to fit in with the Wonderland theme, but very sophisticated all the same. Sakuya could make a business out of event management…it looked like he had. Even the noblebird hosts were astonished at the ticket prices as Sakuya lectured them on how they were scheduling the hosts' area.

“We have three types of tickets for the Hosts’ area, decided by how close the guest wishes to sit to the host in question. Of course the most exclusive tickets and those with the highest price are for those who wish to sit next to the host, also those who sit directly opposite. Band B are those who wish to sit central to the host and the table. Band C are those who sit at the edges. Of course they may see their host of choice but it will be harder to engage them in conversation. All the tickets on Sakazaki’s table are slightly more expensive because _somehow_ he managed to get alcohol permitted at his table.”

“Ah! The joys of being of age!”

“Hitori and I are of age,” Nanaki chipped in, “So is Iwamine!”

“Iwamine doesn’t like the inebriated and the last time you got drunk you rolled into a flower bed and decided you were some sort of fairy,” Sakuya retorted curtly, “You spent a good twenty minutes trying to convince Hitori he was a Pretty Coore and then passed out in a planter.”

“That’s true,” Nanaki sighed.

Nageki was rather glad he had not attended whatever function had left Nanaki in a planter. However his stomach was churning as he trod towards his doom step by step. He couldn’t fly without losing all the ribbons on this ludicrously frilly dress.  Anghel was tailing Yuuya; the pair was tagging behind the rest as Yuuya gave a lecture on cutlery and polite conversation. Nageki kept glancing backwards as they went out into the grounds.  Usually when he went out and about, Anghel would be eagerly trying to talk to him. Anghel was in the year above him so they didn’t see each other very often during the day, however Anghel was often waiting for him by the stairs up to the music rooms, usually with news or something he wanted to share. However Anghel was more interested in Yuuya now he was receiving adulthood lessons, so Nageki only had the host club to talk as per usual. Sakuya persisted with lecturing them so he just stayed silent all the way down.

There were stylish heating devices dotted about the large area of decking that Nageki was sure hadn’t existed in the school grounds this morning. The hosts’ area was more decorated than anywhere else and Nageki was left wondering how they had managed to find dining chairs that looked like toadstools which still held an air of expensive elegance. He was handed a list of guests to familiarise himself with their names. All of them had visited him before, most of them were regulars.  Yuuya peered over his bow-adorned head and laughed.

“Good luck, look who got your Band A seats.” 

Nageki followed his gaze.

“Anghel and Henrietta,” he read, “That’s going to be…” A constant battle for his attention, perhaps literally with Anghel’s rather extraordinary powers. Yuuya seemed to have realised this.

“Well, have fun mon ami!” He sauntered off to his own table, the bell on his collar jingling.

Giving him no thanks, Nageki had to sit down. He stomach was turning over and over. He hoped he could manage this so-called banquet. Why did people need five courses? What was wrong with one and a biscuit?

“Caller of Stars!”  Anghel, now fully dressed complete with top hat, spinning bow tie and waistcoat, approached. “Caller of Stars! Are you running low on mana? Has the Devil of Weariness laid grip upon your soul?”

“I am quite tired yes,” Nageki replied, looking at the fancy table settings as Anghel took his seat, “A little ill too. However I’ll be fine.”

Anghel still looked concerned. He took his seat and gently touched Nageki’s wing, as if trying to feel whether or not he was shaking. Nageki was struck by the motion. The last time he had been ill at the host club, he had been trembling, but he had thought no birdie had noticed. Had Anghel seen and simply not wanted to bring it up in front of the guests?

“If your state worsens, entreat this earnest servant. Textoris Melodia Funeris shall be in attendance at this great banquet so may come to your aid if needs be!”

“I will, though I may have to stay here however I feel.” Who or what was Textoris Melodia Funeris? That wasn’t an Anghelism that Nageki had heard before. Usually he was quite good at concluding what the bleeding heart dove meant, however this time he was quite lost. Well if it was somebirdie that Anghel said was in attendance, he would find out in time.  He just hoped he managed to get through enough of this evening to find out. He had Sakuya’s table to one side of his own and Shuu’s on the other. He wasn’t getting away with leaving in any direction and considering how much everybirdie had paid to go to this fancy meal… no birdie was going to let him leave early.

“That should not be so,” Anghel objected, “If you require the attentions of a healer Astrologer, give me notice.  The Brethren and Body expect me to cause some incident because…because I am not like them… It will therefore not be unexpected for me to cause such an encounter and you may use that distraction to seek care. This loyal servant does not care for the curses of the Brethren and Body if it means you have aid.”

“Anghel…” Nageki couldn’t help but stare. No birdie, no birdie at this school had ever cared if he was ill during club hours. No birdie had noticed or perhaps cared how ill he was until he was actually in the infirmary. Then they said ‘how could we have known?’ Admittedly Nageki hid it the best he could but still… Bar himself and Yuuya, he had never heard anybirdie talk well of Anghel, even Yuuya spoke low of him sometimes. This was the first time however that Anghel had acknowledged the fact he knew everybirdie spoke horribly behind his back. The fact he knew it happened and carried on as if he didn’t… That made it even more horrible!  He shouldn’t put Anghel in the way of more gossip and slander.

“Anghel, I’ll be fine. You-you should do what you can to enjoy your evening.  You need to learn how to get your ‘Adult Feel’. I can’t get in the way of that.”

“Your health is important Caller of Stars.”

“I would rather you had fun.”

Nageki noticed that Yuuya was watching them behind the pyramid of wine glasses on his table. Of course the fantail then pretended to be looking at the glasses, but Nageki was sure they had just been watched.

“We shall see what occurs,” Anghel said rather solemnly, also glancing at Yuuya.  They watched as everybirdie took their places. Nageki couldn’t see them from here but there were musicians nearby and they had just started playing. He got the feeling the cluster of strangely coloured plants by Sakuya’s table was obscuring them from view.  Still, the sudden burst of music could only mean the event was about to start. Nageki stood up as he saw people start to file in. Lots of doves in brown suits and dresses were filing into the general area below.  They were very uniform…perhaps those weren’t the guests but the waiters.  On closer inspection, they had odd flowers in their button holes or hair that fit in with the decorations. Probably those who would be waiting then, they all looked very professional.

“Hey Nageki!”

Nageki started. He had been so focus on the procession of red-clad people coming in, he hadn’t been paying attention to the movements of those who had already arrived. At the sound of a familiar voice, he turned to see a familiar rock dove charging up the stairs to the hosts’ area to greet him.

“Ryouta? What-what are you doing here?”  He was in a red suit so it was clear what he was doing here. Nageki just needed to express his shock.

“I’m working,” Ryouta replied brightly, “Couldn’t resist the chance to see your fancy school and the host club in all its glory. It is impressive. You suit that dress by the way.”

Nageki had managed to forget about the dress but was now vividly reminded of the lace and bows. He wanted make some sort of gesture of fuss, however in all honesty it wasn’t that bad and the maid one had been a lot more uncomfortable. Of course he’d made a bit of a fuss when presented with it but that was to be expected. Maybe…it wasn’t really any different to being forced to wear uniform.

“Textoris Melodia Funeris!” Anghel exclaimed, “I am gladdened that you have come aid us in this upcoming trial!”

“You’ve met before?” Nageki wasn’t sure which he was addressing but the question really went to both of them.

“He is page to the great Saint Edel Blau, of course we have communicated!”

Ryouta laughed.

“Yeah, Hiyoko has to fish him out the pond in the paintball course every now and again,” he explained, “He used to fly over the course to get home and got knocked out the air occasionally. She helps him where she can and…well, you heard.”

“Saint Edel Blau is Hiyoko?” Nageki couldn’t think of anybirdie who was less like a traditional saint… well, maybe Sakuya or Shuu, but Hiyoko was definitely in the realm of ‘not very saint-like’. Saints didn’t fight wolves for fun or join biker gangs on a whim. More importantly, why did Ryouta not sound happy at all about Anghel and Hiyoko’s closeness? Why didn’t he feel very happy about Anghel and Hiyoko’s closeness? No, that was probably just because he was feeling ill.

“The graceful Edel Blau frees me when my soul plummets towards the great Cage of Ice!” Anghel exclaimed, “She has not awoken her true power but her training is proof of the inevitability of her ultimate awakening!”

“Yeah, something like that,” Ryouta mumbled, “Anyway, have fun you two! Nageki, Hiyoko’s coming to pick you up before the last hour. We thought you wouldn’t want to be around for the fireworks.”

“Thank you,” Nageki glanced backwards at the host club. Why hadn’t anybirdie mentioned the fireworks?  It would have made sense to warn everybirdie about them. Fireworks weren’t scary just for the reasons he didn’t like them.  Other people hated the noise.  Still, he wasn’t sure his stomach would cope with a ride on Hiyoko’s motorcycle. It was much better rather than fireworks any day but… the ride was scary too. Their stomach felt queasier already though that may not have anything to do with the approaching ride.

“Places please!” called Sakuya. Nageki glanced apologetically at Ryouta who merely nodded and fluttered off to wherever the rest of the red-suited people were filing.

“The trial begins!” Anghel had the sense to keep his voice hushed as they watched light cascade across the school grounds as the gates were suddenly illuminated with an array of twinkling lights. They could see everybirdie, mostly students but also teachers and parents, thronging at the gates as red suited men and women checked their tickets and escorted them to their tables in the grounds.

“I am not very skilled at formal events,” Anghel commented, as the music picked up louder.

“I’ve never been to one before,” Nageki replied, retreating to their table for a glass of water. Anghel followed and dutifully sat down, watching as Nageki drank not one but two glasses of water, looking about as he did so in case disturbing the water jugs was not part of formal event etiquette.

“Are you sure you are faring well Caller of Stars?”

“I’m fine,” Nageki replied, “I just…I’ll be alright. I just have to get through to the last hour.”

Anghel was giving him a strange look. Nageki knew he was a bad liar but he didn’t want to have to explain to Anghel that he was being kept here under duress. Then Anghel would cause an incident and it would be blamed on him. Nageki had never told Anghel his reasons for joining the host club or why he had to keep joining in these uncomfortable situations. He had been in the club for months now but… He didn’t think he could get away uninjured if he tried.

“It could be fun,” Nageki attempted, “The food should be good.”

“Indeed.” Anghel nodded but still didn’t look any less perturbed.

They weren’t allowed any more time to discuss Nageki’s well-being for the host club’s guests began to ascend into the separate dining area. From that moment onwards, he had to act his part, no matter how much he wanted to lie down or go somewhere quiet. Both of those ideas sounded wonderful right now but he merely smiled and welcomed every guest to his table, ducking his head, speaking softly, playing the part of the chick that everybirdie seemed to think he was. He didn’t have a table and a tea set between him and Henrietta this time so there was no escaping being mothered. She was his third guest to arrive but she immediately demanded all his attention. It was hard for anybirdie else to get a word in. Nageki wondered if this was a trait of fantails. Most of the conversation he could hear from other tables were Sakuya or Yuuya telling stories or boasting. He felt a little bad lumping Yuuya in with the likes of Henrietta and didn’t want to be called speciest but… Oh why hadn’t he brought any painkillers?

Thank goodness for Anghel. The bleeding heart dove was very quiet. Near-silent in fact, as more guests arrived he seemed to freeze where he sat, only the occasional rustle of feathers left anybirdie aware of his presence. The longer this went on, the worse Nageki felt. None of the other guests were talking to Anghel, they weren’t even looking at him Every time Nageki tried to include him in their conversation, Anghel would give a somewhat bumbling reply and the topic of conversation would die as no birdie wanted to acknowledge the Luzon. It was left to Nageki to try and pick up the conversation, if not, Henrietta would try to become queen again and dictate everything that was happening.  Nageki grew more concerned for Anghel’s well-being the longer the dinner party went on. He pushed through his own growing headache and queasiness but he simply couldn’t ignore the way Anghel seemed to have drawn in on himself.  He took one of Henrietta’s monologues as an excuse to turn to him.

“Anghel?” he asked hesitantly, “Are you…are you alright?”

“It is hard to remain stealthy amidst a gathering of foes,” He didn’t sound alright in the slightest, “This miasma of hostility is wearing at my soul yet I must brave this foul air to be at your side Caller of Stars, and chase the Adult Feel.”

“If you’re not comfortable being here, you don’t have to stay. Certainly not for my sake,” Nageki assured him, however this appeared useless. Anghel merely frowned and gripped his fork with a more determined air.

“I have also promised the Apostle of the Golden Rose that by this light I will find the Adult Feel,” he insisted. Nageki was about to say there was probably another way when his wing was caught by Henrietta and he was quite literally pulled into a conversation about fashion magazines.

The food was good. Nageki clung onto that positive as his head swum in the noise and surrounding bustle. Anghel had gone back to being miserably quiet. Nageki didn’t want him to think that was what being an adult was like, however at the moment he wasn’t seeing much proof to the contrary. He was sitting here quietly as well just to keep Henrietta happy.  In fact everybirdie seemed to be controlling themselves so not to face Henrietta’s wrath. A few birds hung onto her every word but… Nageki’s head throbbed. It would quite frankly be better if she wasn’t here however he could never say that.

Between the third and fourth course, the ache in Nageki’s head got worse. He was drinking a lot of water but had already excused himself to use the bathroom once, he didn’t think he should do it again any time soon. He held off on drinking anything other than water though. There was some excitable noises coming from Yuuya’s table and he wasn’t entirely convinced that those at his table hadn’t smuggled some of the alcoholic drink away from them. Anghel was watching the table rather than the faces around him. The plates from their third course were being taken away when he suddenly got off his chair and hurried off down the steps. Nageki watched him go in mild confusion. Where was he going? Why hadn’t he announced it?

“Anghel?”

“Oh, he’s finally gone,” trilled Henrietta, “At last, what a terrible bother he is.”

“Excuse me?” Nageki rounded on her. She had been giving her opinion on everything mentioned this evening but this was something she was not entitled to talk about. How horrible did you have to be to insult somebirdie as soon as they were out of earshot? There certainly was a Miasma of Hostility, no doubt about it. Anghel however had hardly spoken, hardly bothered any birdie. She had no right to be hostile!

“It’s no fault on your part sweetie,” Henrietta assured him, “You couldn’t choose who bought what tickets but really, allowing a lunatic such a place at the table, at the school even! I’ll never understand it.”

“Anghel isn’t a lunatic.” Nageki kept his voice calm but all the suspicions that had built up over the evening had finally been confirmed. Anghel was lonely. He knew that. That was why Anghel was so desperate to seek out his company. Nageki had assumed at first it because of a gap in understanding. He knew what Anghel was talking about and others couldn’t think past his terminology. However he’d slowly come to believe it wasn’t just that people couldn’t think past Anghel’s language but those that could, didn’t want to.  They were isolating him. He didn’t want to be lonely, others were being horrible because they didn’t understand, because Anghel was different and… As somebirdie who was very much ‘different’ himself, no, as somebirdie with morals… Nageki wasn’t just going to sit by and let that awful dove sit there and bad mouth Anghel!

“Pardon?” The table fell silent at Henrietta’s inquiry. Nageki heard a whoop from Yuuya’s table but ignored it.

“I said, Anghel isn’t a lunatic,” he repeated, “So don’t call him that again.” He turned to look at her, still in a perfectly calm tone, still looking like the adorable little thing she liked to mother. There was being the perfect host and then there was being a good person. Nageki was going to be both.

“Come now,” Henrietta fussed, looking a little taken aback that Nageki had disagreed with her, “Can you not see that’s he’s well… been knocked in the head? He’s frankly an embarrassment to be seen with in public. All that talk about quests and demons, it’s like he’s speaking another language!”

“And you would hate somebirdie for speaking a language you don’t understand?” Nageki queried, tone still very innocent, “You would hate somebirdie for thinking differently? That’s called being bigoted Miss Henrietta.”

She let out an indignant squawk and Nageki was almost sure there was a gasp from every other occupant of the table.

“Listen,” Nageki continued, just as calmly, “I’m surprised your parents didn’t teach you this when you were a chick but hating people because they are different to you is wrong. Just because you don’t understand them, doesn’t mean they’re wrong. I don’t understand why anybirdie would pay such an awful amount of money to come to this event, but I’m not condemning you for doing it.”

He turned to look at them all. Henrietta seemed to have been rendered silent in shock that her darling chick-substitute could stand up for himself.

“Yes, Anghel is different. Everybirdie is different but everybirdie is refusing to see past this fact when it comes to Anghel. You let one trait define him. It’s as if…” He cast around for a target and decided to make this personal

“Miss Henrietta is scared of spiders.”

Henrietta gave another indignant squawk.

“I wouldn’t have told you that if you were going to share it around!” she protested.

“I’m sorry, but it needs to be said,” Nageki acknowledged, “Because being scared of spiders isn’t something that isolates you but it’s just the same… It’s something about you that’s different. Now imagine that everybirdie defined you by the fact. They always called you that Dove Who Was Scared of Spiders. They never let you forget that fact, they avoided you because they didn’t understand that being afraid of spiders was natural to you and they made you feel like no birdie ever wanted to be your friend. That you were just the weird bird who was afraid of spiders, on your own and never appreciated for any other fact.”

A murmur ran round the table.

“This is what you’ve done to Anghel!” Nageki exclaimed, “You’ve reduced him to one quirk, one thing that makes him different and isolated him for it. He’s lonely and intimidated yet he’s trying so hard to make friends! You-you don’t understand and don’t want to understand what else there is to him. Yet I know, I know he’s an artist, and a really good one too. He’s also really good at telling stories and has an amazing imagination. Yet you know him as the dove who speaks strangely and you aren’t prepared to look past that! So-so please stop talking like that about my best friend!”

As Nageki raised his voice, his head swam at his own volume.  His table had fallen silent and, to his horror, so had the surrounding tables. Sakuya was staring at him and Nageki instantly felt fear. He had just yelled at guests. He had just gone against the wishes of guests.  He’d insulted guests. Oh he was going to be in so much trouble!

“ _Caller of Stars_ …”

Nageki turned to see Anghel standing at the top of the stairs. He sounded rather breathless and that could only mean one thing. He’d heard. He’d heard everything. He’d heard… oh gosh. Nageki felt weak. Oh goodness, Anghel had heard everything, everybirdie had heard everything. Technically that was what he had wanted. He’d wanted to change how everybirdie treated Anghel but still… He wasn’t ready for this. He didn’t need all this attention. His head was throbbing. Everybirdie was staring at him. He felt dizzy, too dizzy and…

“Caller of Stars!”

That was the last thing he heard before he fell unconscious.

He woke up in his least favourite place on earth – hospital.  Yet it wasn’t the hospital he had woken up in last time this had happened.  The first thing he saw upon awakening was a pair of striped curtains blocking out what appeared to be the light of midday. His local hospital had blinds and curtains round the beds not curtains on the windows… Also, as he looked about blearily he noticed something truly shocking. He had his own room! Also the walls were painted nicely and all the equipment looked very shiny and new. This-this wasn’t Littledove Hachiman General Hospital! He had been to many a hospital but this certainly wasn’t any of the familiar ones. It was fancier than any hotel he had been in. Admittedly, he had only ever been to two hotels so he couldn’t judge. Where was-  He stirred as the door opened.  A nurse in a neat blue uniform entered with a clipboard.

“Good afternoon Mr Fujishiro, just here to check up on how you’re doing.” He moved over to the side of Nageki’s bed and began to consult one of the monitors by the side of the bed. It was only then that Nageki took in the fact that, once again, he was lying with wires attached to him.

“Where am I?” he asked, “How long have I been in here?”

“You’re at St PigeoNations Private Healthcare and Medical Research Centre,” the nurse trilled in an air that sounded rehearsed, “And you’ve been here almost thirty hours, most of which you spent sleeping soundly.”

“What happened?”

“You over-exerted yourself and fell unconscious. You showed some feverish symptoms however your records say these are not uncommon and your siblings say these are often signs of nightmares.”

Nageki nodded and looked down at the blankets. It wasn’t the first time he’d woken up in a hospital not quite sure how he’d got there but it was certainly first time he’d down so after collapsing at a school event. What did everybirdie think of him now? Had he upset his guests by not being there for the duration of the event? His head throbbed again and he winced, holding his head with his wing. The nurse immediately made a fuss.

“Please, try to relax. A colleague of mine will be up with lunch for you in a moment. Then, if you’re up to it, your family has been very insistent to get in and see you.”

Nageki managed a weak chuckle. The doctors and nurses around the city probably shared stories about Hiyoko’s insistence. Strength and worry were a very dangerous combination for the safety of hospital apparatus.

On the topic of hospital apparatus, he allowed the nurse to adjust the wires and take a blood sample as he waited for the promised food. He didn’t know why they wanted a blood sample but had learnt not to question medical matters by now.  He had always been told to trust doctors and nurses by the adults at the orphanage and by Ryouta. He’d have liked an explanation but it probably wasn’t anything to worry about.

Ryouta and Hiyoko did indeed come to visit later that day and with them they brought a basket of flowers and treats from Nageki’s admirers from the host club.  Henrietta’s name was noticeably absent from these well-wishers. However Ryouta was quick to tell Nageki that he’d spoken to the host club and no birdie really cared that he’d insulted the lady fantail.

“Sakuya even said good-riddance,” Ryouta added, digging into one of the boxes of chocolates, “He was intimidated by her, I could tell. However he wasn’t saying anything bad about her so I guess…maybe their parents are business partners or something. That makes sense.”

“It sounds quite likely,” Nageki replied, “She was very bossy to him and he let her get away with it.”

“She sounds like a complete nightmare,” Hiyoko commented, “You were right to give her one for. Well, one for Nageki-style!”

“Thank you Hiyoko.” Nageki contemplated the little bag of millet on his bed and decided a little more food couldn’t hurt.

“And Anghel,” Ryouta continued eagerly, “Oh wow, neither of you saw his face, it was like he had finally found Heaven…or gone back there or something.”

“You’re going to be having a long and emotional conversation with him when you get out,” Hiyoko chuckled with a mouthful of chocolate, “He was outside the hospital earlier. He got kicked out for causing too much trouble so his parents took him home. He promised me he had new ideas for his ‘epic’ that he’d work on in the meanwhile.”

“I hope he doesn’t put my explanation in his manga,” Nageki mumbled into the millet bag.

“It was really good,” Ryouta protested, “Seriously, I haven’t seen you that fired up since that jerk in the shopping centre who realised that the maids at Merry Feather weren’t actually young girls when he saw me.”

 “I would have played basketball with his round body,” Hiyoko muttered, “Seriously, how stupid do you have to be to think you could just go up to somebirdie like that?”

“That would have got you thrown out of the shopping centre,” Nageki pointed out, “And yes, he was rather stupid and arrogant I believe.”

Ryouta and Hiyoko stayed until the nurse came and told them visiting hours were over. They cheerily promised him they’d visit again if he wasn’t out by tomorrow. Luckily for him, he was let out the following evening after a surprisingly thorough medical examination. They said it was good to have a full check-up whilst he was there but…some warning would have been nice. He hated being examined and had experienced far too many check-ups to feel at ease with them.

When he returned home it was the weekend, so he remained host club free for the next few days. When Monday came and classes finished however, he made the long trip back to the music room on the fifth floor. As he mounted the stairs, once again laden with books, he wondered how everybirdie was going to react to seeing him again. Ryouta had said Sakuya was fine with losing Henrietta but…being fine didn’t mean everybirdie wasn’t just going to stare silently at him. That didn’t mean he was going to have any guests, or the guests were going to treat him the same. He had arrived half an hour early as per usual, he had washed up and made sure he had pristine uniform but… oh this could still go so wrong. What if everybirdie simply ignored him?

He took a deep breath as he reached for the door handle. Here went nothing.

The door creaked open with its usual strange flower-petal filled wind. Nageki stepped inside as quietly as possible.

“Nageki!” He was suddenly surrounded by button quails.

“Nageki, you’re alright, thank goodness.”  Hitori added as Nanaki seemed to inspect the mourning dove in front of him from head to toe.

“I’m fine,” Nageki said, stepping away a little to maintain something of a personal bubble, “I’m better now, I promise. You’re not mad at me?”

“Why would we be mad at you?” Nanaki asked, “Everybirdie is talking about the dinner now! It’s the most everybirdie has ever talked about the host club!”

“Ah…well, that wasn’t intentional,” Nageki admitted.

“Well Sakuya’s not angry or anything,” Hitori assured him, “You got rid of Henrietta and made the host club seem like a well-meaning and inclusive society. Which wasn’t really what anybirdie thought of us before now, in all honesty…”

“I suppose that’s good.”  Nageki looked about and noticed that Yuuya and Anghel were sitting at a table in the corner. They had a cup of tea each and very serious expressions on their faces.  What that what an ‘Adult Feel’ lesson looked like? Nageki was honestly expecting more lessons on how to flirt or how to use fancy unnecessary etiquette. They looked like they were revising or discussing banking or something.

“Do you mind if I go and talk to Anghel?” he asked the quails.

“Of course not!” Nanaki said excitedly, “You should talk.”

Nageki thanked them and crossed the room over to what was looking more and more like an important business discussion. As he approached he managed to catch a little of what Yuuya was saying.

“That’s the crux of it really. You aren’t going to get what you want just by waiting around to see if it happens to come to you. You may feel foolish trying. You may think this is never going to work. However you can’t know unless you try. If you don’t succeed, you can learn from your mistakes and progress to become the sort of bird you want to be. It’s hard but like any ‘trial’ you’ll become-“ Yuuya spotted Nageki and suddenly started speaking in a whisper. Anghel visibly jumped, turned to glance at Nageki, before ducking closer to the table to hear Yuuya’s whispers.

Nageki frowned and stopped in his tracks. What were they doing? Had he done something wrong?

“Right, go on,” he heard Yuuya urge, after a moment of whispering, “Good luck my squire!”

Anghel got up from his chair and turned to face Nageki. He looked bizarrely determined and…that wasn’t tea he was drinking. Nageki could smell the expensive coffee now he was closer.

“A-Anghel,” he said nervously, ruffling a little in his anxiety, “Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon,” Anghel sounded as nervous as he felt.  He was lacking a lot of his usual gusto. What had happened? The bleeding heart dove seemed a lot more…immaculate today. There was no glass in his feathers, he seemed well groomed and he was standing far taller than usual. Had Yuuya been giving him grooming advice as well?

“I’m-I’m feeling better now,” Nageki added tentatively, “Thank you for trying to visit me.”

“You’re welcome…I would come any time Caller of Stars.”

There was a very unsubtle whisper of “ _go for it!_ ” from Yuuya’s table.

“Caller of Stars!” Anghel suddenly announced. Nageki jumped at the sudden volume. He was about to reply and express how startled he felt, when he got the familiar feeling of being hit with something soft on the back of the head.  The world about him swirled strangely for a moment before he suddenly became aware of how cold he felt without his hat.

“Crimson Angel, I’ve looked forward to meeting with you again,” he said meekly, “I’m sorry that I was out of action for so long. I hope I didn’t burden you.”

“Not at all fair Astrologist! Your health is vital. I would never start off on any quest without knowing how well you fared. Forgive me; I caused a great trial for you in front of those you had to display before in the Hall of Exquisite Brethren.”

Estelle wasn’t sure how to feel as the earnest angel clasped his wing. Surely this sort of…fealty was one he should show his honoured Edel Blau, not a small and bothersome scholar like him?

“Your well-being matters more to me that-than the favour of the Exquisite Brethren,” he stammered, “You freed me from my isolation at Worlds’ End and brought me into the light of the sun as well as the stars… This new world with such people in it is a fright to my soul but… Crimson Angel, you have made it a far more pleasurable trial.”

“Phosphorescent Astrologer…you heap undeserved praise upon this crimson breast. It was you who raised this fallen and blackened soul and gave it new hope and new purpose when all seemed full of woe and bleak! In these halls of deception it is you who have become my guiding star in believing, in praying that I can be one amongst many, not the Outcast of Shame and Sin I have become.”

Estelle clasped the angel’s wing in return. It was so horrible to hear Anghel talking of himself like an outsider. He spoke as if he was somebirdie trying to swim desperately towards the shore yet those who could save him, they were pushing back under the waves. To hear him talk of himself so lowly…it hurt. It hurt because this little scholar knew that Anghel was far more than a fallen angel. He was a muse, a gifted warrior and artist alike. He was important, not just to him, he could be important to the whole world if his heart was restored.

“Be not ashamed Brave Angel. I will always be at your side when needs must and the stars shall shine upon you when all seems dark. We are companions on this fearsome quest and though I am weak, I would stand up to any witch or bishop who seeks to tarnish your heart.”

Anghel was looking at him in awe. As if he saw something lovely there that Estelle could not possibly comprehend.  He watched and waited as it seemed the angel struggled with himself for a moment.

“Estelle?”

“Yes Anghel?”

“It is not related to our quest however…I wish to know whether you would come visit the Halls of Silver Scales with me? It is…it is a fine hall where every eve the high members of our society come to dine on the silver beings. It is greatly acclaimed by my betters as they provide many of the silver beings consumed there.  There are often great bards or troubadours there who play sweet music whilst you feast.”

“That-that sounds wonderful,” Estelle sounded as taken aback as he felt, “And I would be honoured to. Yet…I fear I lack the gold to enter such a fine hall.”

“It is no matter,” Anghel assured him, “This is a means to which I wish express my gratitude, fair Caller. I would be honoured to present you to this Hall and together dine on the best of the silver beings.”

“Then I accept,” Estelle glanced down at their touching wings, “And I too feel very honoured.”

Anghel fluffed up to show his joy as a clock tower chimed somewhere nearby. Suddenly Estelle felt a blow to the back of his head and… what was going on? Anghel had let go of his wings and was now staring at the clock.

“I have a meeting with the Golden-Winged Messenger at half past this hour!” he exclaimed, “I must depart fair Caller. I will give to you a message on when we shall meet for silver beings!”

“Alright,” Nageki said, feeling distinctly baffled about what had just happened, “Have fun.”

Anghel took flight and was out the room before anybirdie could even suggest opening the window for him.

Nageki stood in the middle of the room, feeling a little dazed. He knew what had just happened but then again… he wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. Anghel didn’t seem to hate him however, which was good, in fact it seemed quite the reverse!

“Well, when you think you’ve seen it all,” chuckled Yuuya, wandering over to put a wing round Nageki, “You call yourself an expert of flirtation but then something always comes up that you’ve never even dreamed of. How does it feel oh fair Caller? Ready for your first ever date?”

Nageki brushed him off and took a few wobbly steps towards the nearest chair. So…so that’s what that was? Everything he said had felt so genuine, so heart felt, and looking through it all as if he was deciphering the Anghelisms…. Yes, he had meant every word he had said. So now he was going on a date? You could go out for dinner just as friends, he was fairly sure that was what you could do but… wow.  A date! Him, on a date, at a restaurant… Really, his life truly had changed just by entering the strange world of this host club.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on Hatoful High School Host Club!
> 
> Shuu is very pleased about something  
> Sakuya has been silenced.  
> Yuuya has gone missing.
> 
> Is this the end of the host club once and for all?


	6. The End of the Host Club?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this the end of the Host Club? Forces are at work, forces far bigger than our brave hosts. Little does Nageki know that unusual days can have deadly outcomes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before this chapter starts I would like to mention the wonderful tumblr users Sunquail and Aryll for their amazing pictures inspired by this story. I'm sure they led most of you to this story, and I hope the story can live up to such amazing art. Thank you to you both and I hope everybirdie enjoys the rest of the story!
> 
> This chapter turned out much longer than anticipated and therefore has been split into two. If I get comments liking this chapter, I will post the second part as quickly as possible!

Nageki was having an extraordinary day and he hadn’t even set foot in the host club yet. He had been kept in the hospital overnight so woke up already on school grounds. His health had been deteriorating rapidly of late. He had told Ryouta and Hiyoko not to worry but it had been years since he had been in and out of hospital this frequently. It didn’t help matters that Ryouta was feeling sick as well at the moment. Nageki did not envy Hiyoko, sure it was fine not being sick, but being surrounded by ill people had to be fairly miserable. At least she had her friends at work who were all undoubtedly as loud and active as she was. It was however her birthday coming up and Nageki hoped he was going to feel better before then. He and Ryouta made a point of going along with whatever she wanted to do for her birthday, regardless of how ill they were feeling. It did help though if they were feeling better.

The fact he’d woken up in the hospital was only the first extraordinary part of his day though. First period was Mathematics. He wasn’t the best at Mathematics as a whole, but neither did he find it particularly challenging in class.  The lessons could be improved greatly if they didn’t work at the pace of the slowest student. Nageki had the distinct impression that despite the absurdly high marks you had to get for a scholarship, some members of the class had just had their places bought for them, skill had nothing to do with it.  That hadn’t changed that morning. The class was promising to be as slow as ever.  What did surprise Nageki however was the note stuck to the blackboard when he arrived. ‘ _Teacher has been forced to take leave. This class has been assigned a Trainee Tutor for the interim_.’ The class was sent into a twittering debate about how best to prank or otherwise inconvenience this trainee. Nageki merely got his books out and waited, curious as to how many trainees this school actually had. Shuu was a trainee wasn’t he? Though he was assigned to the Biology Department so it was unlikely Shuu would be teaching them. Thank goodness. This trainee was likely to be no birdie he knew.

Nageki was pleasantly surprised. The class was silenced at once as the door opened and a familiar button quail entered the room. A rock dove sat behind Nageki cooed disappointedly:

“Why did it have to be Mr Uzune? He’s too cute to play tricks on.”

Hitori was a trainee teacher?  He’d never mentioned it! Nageki knew Hitori and Nanaki were some of the oldest in the Host Club, but didn’t know Hitori was actually staff.  Not that Nageki was complaining. Hitori turned out to be an excellent teacher and the way he could solve problems in his head, well, Nageki had never seen anybirdie that quick. Apparently he’d been given very little time to prepare for this lesson and was facing the exercises for the first time along with them. However he was always a few steps ahead of the examples on the board, allowing him to give answers or criticism. The class was remarkably well behaved.  Nageki wasn’t exactly sure why but it seemed to have something to do with that exclamation about Hitori being cute. Having finished the exercise early, Nageki wondered what this actually meant. Button Quails, or King Quails, were short birds. So short that Hitori had extended the teacher’s swivel chair up to its full height to make himself seem as intimidating as the regular teacher.  They were also quite round, Nageki guessed that could make one adorable. However he got called cute a lot too and he and Hitori looked very different. Well, he never pretended to understand the guests at the host club, he just did as he was told.

After class, he stopped to talk to Hitori. It felt it was only right. He rarely saw other hosts outside the host club.

“Ah Nageki! How was it? The lesson I mean.”

“It was very good,” Nageki replied, “I like the fact we got to do the next exercises if we finished the first before the others.”

“Glad you weren’t bored,” Hitori started shifting textbooks back into his bag, “I’m surprised you’re in this set. I thought you would be in the class above.”

“I don’t think there was space.  I didn’t know you were a trainee teacher though.”

Hitori chuckled.

“Nanaki and I are both trainees and students actually, to different extents.  Nanaki excels at literature classes, especially creative writing, and I’m not too shabby at Mathematics. So we study those subjects at home at a higher level, and then teach those subjects at school instead. We still take all the other subjects with everybirdie else though.”

“I see.” That sounded like a great idea.

“Well, I’ve got to head off to Sports, so see you later,” Hitori lifted the bag over one wing and began to wobble over to the door.

“See you!”

That was only the first surprise of the day. The next came at lunch break whilst Nageki was sat outside, enjoying the sunshine and not having to be in a windowless hospital room during his free time. The bench he had chosen was round the side of the languages department, and though there was a path, it only led to a fire escape, so was rarely used. Nageki thought he had guaranteed some peace and quiet. In a way he was right, in another way, he wasn’t prepared for what he was about to let himself in for.

About halfway through lunch break, the fire escape door opened, and out came Yuuya and Shuu.  He was pushing a blue trolley laden with cardboard boxes.  Surprised by the unlikely pairing, Nageki squinted at the boxes trying to work out what they up to. The boxes had black lettering across them but all they said were ‘Print Paper’, refills for a printer?  There were at least a dozen boxes on that trolley. That was a lot of paper.  Why were Shuu and Yuuya bringing printer paper around? Surely that was the janitor’s job? Or maybe somebirdie who worked in the IT department? Whatever they were doing, they were taking the boxes over to the gate that divided the school grounds from the hospital grounds.  This was getting a little strange.

Nageki watched them approach the gate. Then a bird Nageki didn’t recognise at that distance appeared at the gate and allowed Shuu and the trolley through. Yuuya was left on the school side of the gate, alone. He turned and visibly jumped, his tail fanning out in shock. He flew back towards the school and landed in front of the bench in a rush of white.

“Nageki! What are you doing out here?”

“Eating my lunch. What are you doing?”

Yuuya gave a casual laugh that did nothing to erase Nageki’s suspicions that he’d just seen something he ought not to.

“Oh just a bit of this, a bit of that. Mind if I join you?”

“If you want.”

Yuuya sat down on the bench beside him and took a plastic tub from his school bag. Nageki was expecting it contain Yuuya’s lunch, but it in fact it contained a pile of envelopes. What were those for?

“You’re a good chick Nageki.”

Nageki stared at him. Yuuya was staring down at the contents of the tub and he sounded more serious than Nageki had ever heard him before.  Nageki openly stared, wondering why he had suddenly been complimented and whether Yuuya was going to follow up that statement with anything. He didn’t. There was a long period of silence where all Nageki could hear was the dull babble of noise from the school around them and the sound of wind blowing gently through the trees that lined the school perimeter.

“I’m a little too old to be called a chick,” he tried tentatively. Yuuya was still gazing dejectedly at the papers.  Nageki wasn’t sure he’d answer, however:

“Of course,” Yuuya managed to a little more cheerful, but it came with a self-mocking edge, “Silly me. You’re not a chick, in fact you’re far more mature than me. You’re brave enough to stand up for what you believe in. Even if you haven’t the tail feathers to grab everybirdie’s attention, you stand up and make yourself heard. You’ve stood up to the likes  of Nishikikouji, Henrietta, Sakuya, me…You were the sole survivor back then. Dear god you’re brave.”

Nageki was scared. Something was very wrong with Yuuya and he had no idea what. Not only did he sound depressed but he also…well, what was all this talk about bravery for? What was Yuuya going to do? Or what was he trying to do?

“What can I do to help?”

Yuuya jumped.

“Pardon?”

“What can I do to help?” Nageki repeated, “You’re clearly troubled and your situation doesn’t seem to be changing by you sitting here on a bench at staring at a pot. So I am offering to help you.”

Yuuya started laughing. The emptiness of the sound only served to make Nageki even more determined to help. Yuuya wasn’t happy. He was smiling as normal, laughing as much as normal, but he wasn’t happy. Was he scared? Was that what all that talk about bravery was about? He could be frightened of something and if something scared the unflappable Yuuya then… Well Nageki couldn’t help but wonder if he should be scared too.

“Let me help you.”  He spoke firmly, “You don’t have to be scared. Why don’t you ask for help?”

Yuuya’s laughter died down to a chuckle as he finally replied with a smile:

“Ok, you can help me mon ami. I want you to make me a promise.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t go out alone. Make sure you have a member of the host club or one of your siblings with you if you ever need to go anywhere outside of class or your home. Don’t hang around in quiet areas anymore and always take the fastest route home. Can you promise me you’ll do that?”

“Will that help?” Nageki didn’t understand. Why did his not being alone help Yuuya?

“Yes, immensely,” Yuuya was now staring at him intently, “Just, whatever you do, don’t go out alone. Promise me.”

“I promise,” Nageki replied at once, “I’ll call Hiyoko and she can pick me up after school.”

“Thank you,” Yuuya nodded. He looked down at the box in his lap once more.  He still hadn’t explained what that was for or why he was carrying so many envelopes. All in all, he hadn’t explained anything and that only made Nageki frightened. What was going to happen which meant he shouldn’t go about by himself?

“Hmm,” Yuuya broke the silence that had fallen over them both in the wake of Nageki’s promise.  Nageki stared at him.

“Nageki?”

“Yes?”

Yuuya drew a tightly-packed envelope from the collection in the box. The pile looked very depleted in its absence. It was clearly the largest, and perhaps the most vital.

“If you do not hear from me for two weeks, I want you to give this to Sakuya…” He paused a moment, “Only if he mentions me though, and don’t read it yourself. I trust you Nageki. You are a good chick. Now I must be off.”

He flew off before Nageki could voice any questions or concerns. In a rustle of wings, he dropped the letter upon the mourning dove beside him and fluttered off, seemingly before he could have second doubts. Nageki put the letter in his bag, keeping it flat in a book, careful not to even look at the envelope in case he learnt anything he shouldn’t. He didn’t need to question why Yuuya couldn’t just leave the letter with Sakuya. However kind and encouraging Yuuya was to his so-called sibling, Sakuya was nothing but rude and violent towards him. However, if it was this envelope Yuuya had been staring at in silence… Well there was clearly something important going on here if Yuuya had to contact Sakuya if he thought he wasn’t coming back. Two weeks of absence… Yuuya had been away for three days after Nishikikouji Tohri took over the host club. If Yuuya thought he wasn’t coming back to the school, did that mean? Did that mean he was in danger? That he could die? Nageki didn’t want him to die! Or at the very least, he wanted Yuuya to be happier before he went wherever he was going for two weeks.  Yuuya had saved Nageki’s life in saving him from being disembowelled by Shuu. Yuuya had taught him how to be a host. Yuuya had sat with him through that thunderstorm and distracted him until he had fell asleep. Yuuya was his friend, Anghel’s friend, and despite all his playbird ways, a very considerate and intelligent bird. Nageki stared at his school bag as he came to a decision. He remembered how euphoric Yuuya had looked after having a game of chess with Sakuya. Nageki needed to make Yuuya happy whilst he could. For that, he needed to confront Sakuya.

He spent the rest of the day steeling himself for the coming encounter. During fifth period Geography, he couldn’t help but wish Anghel would give him a blast of whatever made him hallucinate into that fantasy realm. He was a lot bolder and more eloquent when he thought he was some sort of prophet. However Anghel had a manga deadline coming up so they hadn’t scheduled to meet at the host club for a while.  Nageki tried to get into the mind of the powerful prophet Anghel managed to turn him into. However it wasn’t working without the strange coffee-induced world warping. He had faced down Henrietta, what was one more angry fantail? Well Henrietta wasn’t the head of the host club. Henrietta couldn’t give him to Shuu to pay off his debts if Nageki angered her too much. Nageki fluttered off to the host club with a sigh. He had to do this. To make Yuuya happy! As soon as he had some time to talk with Sakuya, without Yuuya in the vicinity, he would do it.  

Having some alone time with Sakuya proved trickier than Nageki had previously thought.  He arrived early but was immediately ushered into the kitchen by the quails to help arrange cupcakes on trays. Then he had to wipe icing off the floor and finally, by the time he thought he might get a word in, the club had opened.  Since he had only become even more popular with his denouncement of Henrietta, he was fully booked from start to finish.  It was a normal session for all intents and purposes. There was tea, cake and many birds fawning over him, it was equal measures pleasant and awkward, like all host club sessions mostly. He did however manage to make an impression on his fellow hosts, which helped somewhat with his plan to gain Sakuya’s attentions. A rock dove who went by the nickname ‘Nina’ asked him:

“So which is your favourite member of the host club Nageki?

His area was wedged between Yuuya and Sakuya’s and the question drew the attention of both the fantails. Nageki had a rather intimidating audience as he replied.

“I like everybirdie at the host club, they’re all my friends.” It was an unsatisfactory answer and he knew it.

“But who’s your favourite?” pressed Nina, “Who do you like most?”

“It’s hard to choose.” He could feel the intensity of the fantail’s stares without even looking at them.

“I guess… Well Yuuya has been very kind to me ever since I entered the host club and he can be a very supportive gentlebird . I guess if I had to choose, I’d choose him.”

There was an indignant ‘hmph’ from Sakuya’s area, though how he could expect to be anybirdie’s favourite with that attitude, Nageki would never understand.  The conversation went back into safer territory and the afternoon passed with no end of conversation and desserts.  Nageki spent the last ten minutes steeling himself for the moment where he would have to grab Sakuya’s attention. However, as they waved the guests from the premises, Sakuya drew everybirdie’s attention first.

“Close the door and everybirdie listen,” he ordered, pacing back and forth in front of the little cluster of armchairs that was his area.  Nageki sat back down.  He was exhausted and welcomed the delay slightly. He’d wait until after what Sakuya had to say to accost him.

“Next Friday,” Sakuya began with a great weight in his voice, “That is not this Friday but the Friday after. Next Friday shall be the last ever session held by this host club.”

There was an outbreak of murmurs. Nageki turned to the quails who were sat nearby.  They seemed to be thinking the same thing. The host club was closing, why?

“We shall be holding an event next Friday as a formal closing gesture,” Sakuya continued, “However after that, there will be no trace of the host club remaining, not even in casual conversation. You will be forbidden to mention it to your peers and its existence will be removed from school records.”

“Why?” asked Hitori, clearly bewildered by this sudden change in opinion. To Nageki this didn’t make any sense either. Sakuya loved the host club after all. He had created it, mostly as a testament to his own ego it seemed, but still, it was his creation!

“I don’t want the club to close,” Nanaki added pitifully, “I have friends here.”

“Yes, and what about all the guests we provide company for?” Hitori continued, “Where are they going to go? Some of them come to us because they can’t get pleasant conversation or support elsewhere. We provide a service.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Sakuya snapped, “None of that matters anymore. The host club is closing, that is it. If you want an explanation, there you have it!” He pointed one wing at Nageki.

“Me?” Nageki exclaimed. He hadn’t done anything to upset the host club! Why was it his fault?

“The guest you upset was the daughter of a wealthy property baron who is a close business partner of my father’s!” Sakuya retorted, “She went and informed her father of the injustice she suffered at the hands of this host club and then he went and informed my father. Father has now ordered that this host club be closed down, so it shall be.”

Yuuya, who was stood a little behind Sakuya gave a noticeable sigh and shook his head. The hopelessness of his stance showed he clearly wasn’t going to be the one to say the obvious. Nageki stood up.

“You’re closing the host club and damaging so many birds’ happiness just because your father told you to?” He inquired as if not quite sure he had heard correctly.

“Yes.” Sakuya replied simply.

“Does your father know how much this club has affected everybirdie’s lives?” Nageki continued, “About how it’s helped people make friends, given support to those who need it, given some the confidence to speak up… You want to stop all that just because your father said he didn’t like it. Henrietta was wrong, we all agreed on that, but…you want to close everything down because of her?”

“No he doesn’t and neither does he care,” Sakuya explained, “My Father is not to be argued with. He has the best interests of the house of Le Bel and if he tells me to close the host club down, I have no other choice in the matter!”

He didn’t sound very enthusiastic about it.

“Do you want to?” Nageki continued, “Because you look like you don’t.”

"Of course I don’t- I mean I don’t want to go against his wishes!  I must do my utmost to honour the name of Le Bel!”

“Would you rather everybirdie think of the Le Bels as those who bring happiness to others, or selfish birds who only support others to stroke their own egos, and then call everything off when they’ve had enough?” 

This wasn’t the argument he’d intended to have but the sake of their guests, for Nanaki’s sake, for Anghel’s sake, for his own sake…He would argue in defence of the host club that had all-but forced him into attendance. He had seen how much good the host club did even if it was ridiculous. If he had never been here, Anghel would never have found a friend- if not more than a friend. Nanaki would not have any friends apart from Hitori, also he probably would lack a great deal of confidence, judging by how much support he got from Hitori and his guests.  If the host club dissolved, when would Yuuya get to spend time with Sakuya? What club would Shuu be moved to and how much danger would they be faced with? Who would he have to talk to from now on? He had no friends in his year and he mostly saw Anghel at the host club.

“Nageki you’re fighting a losing battle here,” Yuuya commented

“Yes shut up Fujishiro,” Sakuya snapped, “You don’t have parents, you can’t understand.”

Nageki let out an angry coo.

“I’m very aware of my lack of parents thank you,” It was his turn to sound curt, “As you are aware, I do have a family. Even though I love them, I would not place an ill-thought out decision of theirs over the health and happiness of so many.”

“You have no idea what you are talking about.” Sakuya turned away, leaving everybirdie with only a view of his tail feathers.

“You have no concept of prestige and reputation! The ignorant masses are blind to the strain put upon noblebirds such as myself. A commoner like you could never understand the value of family!”

“I have a family!” Nageki was furious. Oh sure,  Sakuya was under such a great strain with his fully functioning immune system, crowds of admirers, no lack of money and the freedom to just cast out everybirdie else’s concerns.  

“A family?! A human and a crossdresser hardly count as a family!”

 That was it.  Nageki seized his school bag and marched towards the door. He’d had enough of these stupid rich chicks and their ludicrous ways. He’d receive his education from this place but spend no more time at it! The host club was going to be torn apart anyway; he might as well make his own exit before that happened.

“Where are you going?” Nanaki called after him, as Nageki brushed Sakuya aside and headed towards the door.

“I quit,” Nageki announced, “Enjoy your last week without me. Have fun at your closing event. Goodbye.” 

He left silence in his wake but didn’t turn back to look at any of their expressions. As he strode down the stairs as fast as his school bag would allow, he considered his options. He could work now. He could work for actual money. Ryouta had already said he’d make a good maid on multiple occasions.  He’d been a maid for the host club and surely it couldn’t be too different. In fact he might be better. Ryouta waited tables and didn’t have to talk ti the customers for that long. It would be far better than serving the host club’s guests.  He decided to approach the subject with Ryouta when they were all home later.

He chose his moment whilst they were eating dinner. He and Hiyoko were first home so they attempted to make dinner between the pair of them so Ryouta could relax after his late shift.  By the time Ryouta came home, they had used every pan they owned but dinner was successful and ready to be served. Ryouta sat down as they assured him they would do the washing up and they got onto the topic of how their days has been.

“I want to work at Merry Feather.”

“What?” Ryouta exclaimed, echoed by Hiyoko only a moment later.

“I quit the host club so now I want to do something similar that will actually bring us money,” Nageki explained into his siblings, “Sakuya insulted me for being an orphan and then attempted to invalidate both of your roles in my life. So I left.”

There was a moment of silence before:

“Woo, Nageki, high-five!” Hiyoko offered him her hand and he lightly touched it with his wing. Human gestures were so odd but he knew this one was congratulatory.

“Wow,” Ryouta commented, “That’s two birds in one term, you’re getting more confident!” He put his wing up and they high-fived as well.

“I just don’t like those who attempt to disgrace those I care about,” Nageki mumbled, “I don’t  think I could do it all the time. Sometimes I just feel brave and then it sort of…fades fast afterwards.”

“Yeah but you got out of there on your own,” Hiyoko reasoned, “Ryouta and I were wondering if we’d ever have to come break you out of posh bird prison ever since you joined that place. I was all for pulling a few feathers if somebirdie hurt you but we didn’t even have to use violence to get you in a better state.”

“You’re my family, of course I would have stood up to them when it concerned you.” Nageki felt like hiding his head under his wing as Hiyoko decided it was time for a group hug. When Hiyoko decided it was time for a hug, no birdie had a choice to escape her. She scooped Nageki and Ryouta into an embrace that almost winded them both.

“After-After,” spluttered Ryouta, “After washing up, let’s play Monopoly, or Scrabble, or something.  I’m too tired for the squeaky hammer rules though.”

“Me too, but games would be nice.” Nageki was definitely too exhausted for squeaky hammer rules. It was apparently a Kawara family tradition to have an inflatable toy hammer with you when playing board games. If you got frustrated with the game you could just bop the offending player on the head with the inflatable which went squeak. However managing to hit someone took more effort than Ryouta or Nageki could manage right now.

“Ok, after we’ve saved the kitchen we can play!”

As they washed up, Ryouta turned to Nageki.

“If you want to work at Merry Feather, I could see if there are any positions open when I go into work tomorrow. If you’re not at the host club I could come and meet you after school. Hiyoko mentioned something about Yuuya not wanting you going about on your own.”

“Yes, I’m not sure why, but he was very insistent,” Nageki replied, “And thank you. I think it would be nice to work with you.”

Ryouta beamed.

“Of course it will! It can be great fun once you know how things work. It’ll be like when we went to school together!”

“If that is the case, then I hope even more that I get a position.” It felt like it had been a long time since he and Ryouta had gone to school together. He missed spending lots of time with them both. Evenings like these came once a fortnight at most, when their shifts meant they weren’t late out or too exhausted to do anything when they came in. Nageki accepted a tea towel from Hiyoko and began drying up the stack of pans that had fallen prey to their attempts at cooking.  

“I’m sure you will! I’ve already seen the photos Yuuya took of you when you were dressed as a maid. You looked super cute!”

Nageki doubted it would be as easy as Ryouta said but he was pleasantly surprised. The next day at school he spoke to no one but Anghel. They had lunch together sat in a corner of the cafeteria, Nageki took advantage of his free school lunch and shared the large portions of food with Anghel. He explained to him what had happened and though Anghel was crestfallen at the loss of the host club, he too was impressed and approved of Nageki’s decision to walk out.

“The Hall of Exquisite Infamy contains a beast with many heads,” Anghel advised him, “You can choose to cast your gaze on the most favourable, but that does not hinder the venom spat by another. The wayward alchemist and care-burdened knight who may together produce us a remedy and turn foul to fair are unlikely saviours and untrained in the art. Perhaps one day his sword shall turn sickle and he shall harvest the makings of a cure for the lost bird.”

That was interesting. As Nageki could understand, Anghel was saying though there were foul elements of the host club, Sakuya and Shuu being the prime examples, there were ways to stop them being so horrible. There was apparently two somebirdies with the power to stop either or both of them but they were inexperienced and not attuned to dealing with such things.  However that did mean those birds was out there and could fix things. Well, the host club wouldn’t exist come next Friday so what was the point of acting quickly?  Still, Sakuya and Shuu could care to become nicer birds.

Ryouta was waiting for him by the school gate at the end of the day. They took the bus home before Ryouta had to dash off to work.  Nageki contented himself with chores about the house until Ryouta came back much later with leftover cake from the café. As they sat eating apple and cinnamon slices, Ryouta turned and said:

“The manager wants you to come in tomorrow and try the role out. We got the dress ready and everything.”

Nageki struggled to swallow for a moment before replying:

“Really?”

“Yes! We’re actually really under-staffed so the manager is taking all the help he can get. However I’m sure you’ll be great! I can help and we can be sisters…how about Coodelia? That’s sounds like a good name.”

Nageki agreed that it was probably the best name either of them could come up with and spent the next day anticipating what it was going to be like to be ‘Coodelia’. He had Mathematics class with Hitori again and he hesitated on whether he should talk to the quail or not. Hitori didn’t leave him with any choice. He came up to Nageki at the end of the class and asked how he was doing. Upon rather a nervous exclamation that he was fine, Hitori assured Nageki that it was only Sakuya who was angry with him. Everybirdie had thought Sakuya was out of order and was content to let Sakuya deal with the aftermath. It was a little unfortunate that they were down on numbers for the finale but Hitori was sure Sakuya would work out something.  Nageki decided it was safe then to tell Hitori that he was going to work at Merry Feather now and went as far as giving him his ‘stage name’. Hitori wished him luck before heading off to his next class. Nageki thought he needed it as the time to work grew ever nearer.

Merry Feather was a well-to-do looking café with bright fixtures and fittings, cutesy pictures on the walls and counter, and many _many_ customers.  Ryouta hadn’t lied about being under-staffed. The other employees there, who they passed on the way in, were all very eager to see a new arrival and kept giving bits of advice. By the time Nageki got to the manager he had been thoroughly educated about which customers were troublesome, where the hard to reach items were, which coffee machines did and did not work and  the best way to tie an apron bow by yourself. The other employees seemed to get on very well with Ryouta, informing him who they thought would be in today, what the state of the changing area was and how the manager had got in a new box of cutlery. Nageki merely followed his brother feeling overwhelmed. Apparently he was new and interesting because the café had never had a mourning dove working there before.  Mourning doves were rare in Japan so Nageki wasn’t surprised.  Still, you would think he would be used to the attention as it wasn’t too dissimilar to that at the host club. However the new setting which contained so many adults… Well, he supposed he could get used to something new all over again.

The manager was an elderly seagull with a half-moon glasses and a bow-tie.  He was sat in a small office adjacent to the staff changing area. Upon their arrival he greeted Ryouta much like how Nageki imagined some sort indulgent uncle would.  Sitting them down, he explained to Nageki what Ryouta had told him about their health, and how much work he would start Nageki off on.

“And if you turn out to know your stuff, we can give you more tables and your pay will rise with that,” he concluded with a chuckle, “We’ll just have you bringing out orders to start with. I’ve heard you’ve agreed to the role of Coolene’s little sister.  That’s excellent. We’ll have you shadow Ryouta for the first day or so before you go solo. Is this acceptable?”

“Yes sir,” Nageki replied at once. It wasn’t much of a job interview. They must be desperate.

“Well, get changed you two. Ryouta, you can show Nageki the ropes.”

“Yes sir!” Ryouta grabbed Nageki by the wing and hurried him out of the office.  He was taken into the changing room and presented with a pastel pink maid dress with white ties and frills. It wasn’t too different to the one he’d worn for the host club, it felt the same too. The lace was a little scratchy on his head but otherwise he had no complaints about the costume.

In fact he ended up having very few complaints about the work in general. It required a lot more moving about than being a host did, but the exercise was good for him and he felt like he was doing something more useful. The customers reacted well to him, calling him adorable as often as any of the host club’s guests. The number of false smiles and laughs he gave would be roughly equal if he cared to total them up.  Once again he had to act cute and timid. He shyly hugged his empty tray when taking customer orders. He learnt how to subtly swish his skirts a little as he walked and flatter his ‘Masters’ in the proper fashion, giving little curtseys and cute coos when appropriate. He picked it up very quickly after Ryouta’s expert guidance and Coolene’s little sister Coodelia was described as ‘moe’ and ‘perfect’ from the start. He was soon called the “Kuudere Mourning Dove Maid.” This was an act just like the Host Club was one big act. Though he missed the likes of Yuuya and Hitori, Nageki got on passably well with his co-workers even if he didn’t know all their real names or have the time to talk to them much. When it came to being useful to his family he was adaptable and he would get used to this new working environment. It was incredibly unlikely anybirdie from school would turn up here,  the café was in the wrong end of the city, so his two lives wouldn’t have to mix. Or so he thought.

He had been working at Merry Feather for a week when his number of tables went up and all thoughts of shadowing Ryouta were gone. He had his café name up on a board on the wall and customers could request him now.  This meant more pay so Nageki was happy to go home at the end of the day, utterly exhausted and content to sleep until school the next day. He felt ill often and he had to go to the hospital at lunch times. Yet if he felt ill at work he didn’t tell Ryouta. He was too thrilled by the chance to be useful. So here he was, one week on, working hard:

“You’ve got a group at table thirteen Coodelia!” exclaimed Nicoole at the counter. Nageki nodded and seized a handful of menus.

“Good afternoon Masters, my name is Coodelia. How may I-“ 

He froze and scowled. Ryouta better not be behind this. Ryouta had encouraged his leaving the host club so there was no way he would have forced them back into his life.  So how did the host club find out where Merry Feather was? Why were they here? Nageki picked up his usual overly-timid air and decided to pretend they were normal customers he had never met before.

“How may I conduct myself for you?” There was no reply, seemingly out of shock. So Nageki merely ploughed on.

“Here are your menus. Today’s milkshake special today is  the Sweet-Sweet Strawberry Surprise, our other specials are on the board for your delight!”

They were all there. Even Shuu was there.  Why did they have to show up? Nageki had made it very plain that he wasn’t coming back to the host club before it closed and he doubted they just wanted to come visit him. If they wanted that they could simply show up at his house, they knew where that was.

“Nageki,” Sakuya began, but Nageki wasn’t in the mood to listen to him.

“Ah Master, you must be mistaking me for somebirdie else. My name is Coodelia! I’m this café’s Kuudere Mourning Dove Maid, not a _Nageki_ or a _Host_. Now I will come and take your orders in just a moment when you’ve made your minds up.”

He hurried away with a dismissive flick of his wing. As he strode back to the counter he heard:

“Coodelia is a pretty little dove indeed but you may need more than sheer bluntness to melt the ice surrounding her maiden’s heart.”  That speaker could only be Yuuya.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sakuya retorted, “That’s not a maiden, that’s Fujishiro in a dress. Which quite frankly is a ridiculous way to-“ Sakuya was interrupted by Hitori.

“You were the first bird to suggest putting Nageki in a dress. You decided he should be our maid on his first session with us.”

If Sakuya had tried to argue out of that one, Nageki didn’t hear it for he went to serve a different table. He thought he knew why they were there now. Sakuya had called him by his first name, which Sakuya only did when he wanted something.  They were here to get him back. Well tough to them, he wasn’t going back to the host club ever.  Well, Sakuya would have to make one very grand apology and that would never happen. So he was essentially never coming back.

“Is that the host club?” Ryouta asked as Nageki went to collect a tray of drinks.

“Unfortunately.” They shared a pained look before they had to grab their trays and head back to their waiting customers.  By the time Nageki returned to the hosts’ table they seemed to have settled their discussion about the fact he was wearing a dress.

“What can I get you Masters?”

Though many of them opened their beaks, Yuuya manage to speak first.

“I’ll have the Moe-Moe Dream Set Meal Two with a Tropical Paradise Smoothie, and if you conduct yourself in a tsundere manner, that would be excellent.”

What Yuuya was essentially letting him do was be tetchy with the host club without getting fired. Nageki was appreciative of this freedom  as he wrote down Yuuya’s order and turned to the others.

“What shall I get you Masters?” he added a note of snippiness to his voice.  After that the others ordered promptly, going round the table quickly until they got to Sakuya.

The fantail was staring at the menu very intently. If Nageki didn’t know he was in fact a gifted student, he would say Sakuya was having trouble reading it.  Everybirdie waited for Sakuya to say something and place his order, but he didn’t, he was still staring at the menu.

“He’ll have what I’m having,” Yuuya supplied.  Surprisingly, Sakuya said nothing to this. Nageki read their order out and hurried off to the counter, but not before he heard laughter from the hosts’ table and a mutter from Sakuya that explained everything.

“Stupid frilly kanji, how am I supposed to read such an illegible font.”

Nageki was surprised they hadn’t accosted him then and there about rejoining the host club but he soon came to realise why they were biding their time. The process of collecting orders was far shorter than actually bringing their orders to their table. So whilst he was trying to juggle plates and glasses, then they would launch questions at him. He informed Ryouta of this in passing and Ryouta agreed that there was no way Nageki could carry a whole group’s worth of food to the table by himself. Coolene would just have to come with her little sister to complete the order.  That would stop any insults being traded. The hosts knew better than to anger both Nageki and Ryouta, and hopefully not just because they could set Hiyoko on them.

Indeed, when they came with trays of food and drinks, the hosts looked rather taken aback to see Ryouta with him. Yuuya covered his surprise easily, casually listing the beautiful qualities of the two “maidens” before him, however the others weren’t so easily recovered.  Distracted but not deterred unfortunately, as Nageki laid plates in front of them, Sakuya cleared his throat and started:

“As you are undoubtedly aware, the host club started receiving great custom after you joined and this only climbed as you continued with us. It would therefore be of the best interests to our guests if you were there for the grand-“ 

Nageki interrupted him.

“None of those words sounded like an apology Master.”  He placed the Moe-Moe Dream Set Meal 2 in front of Sakuya with unnecessary force.

“That is past the point, we require your presence for the host club finale.”

“That is very much the point. If you could bear to apologise to the likes of me Master, I might have considered it. ” Nageki turned away from Sakuya to present bowls to Nanaki and Hitori.  He smiled at them all and curtsied before retreating behind Ryouta, casting one last glare behind him as Sakuya made to call him back.

“I think you handled that well on your own,” Ryouta commented, “Though they’ll probably try again.”

He was right.  The host club were there until closing time, constantly ordering more drinks. The manager was loath to send them out for they were spending a lot of money and remaining regardless of the hike in drink prices in the evening. Yuuya was drinking alcohol at an astonishing rate and he didn’t even seem drunk. Sakuya left shortly after he realised what Yuuya was consuming. A car pulled up for him outside, causing a fuss as those sitting by the windows were awed by what was apparently a limousine. Nageki was too busy to check.  Yuuya bought the quails an alcoholic drink each and after that they too left. Sometime in the interim, Shuu slipped off. Why he was there, Nageki never knew. He didn’t seem the sort to care for the host club finale, or be particularly sociable enough to go out to a café with friends. Nageki didn’t think Shuu was at the host club for any reason other than Doctor Kawara telling him to. So why did he come? The food?  There was no knowing.

Yuuya left as the restaurant was packed up around him. He had racked up a large bill which was put on a card that Nageki was sure wasn’t his. As he put in the machine, Nageki was sure the name on the card was Sakuya Le Bel Shirogane. He decided not to question it though. He waved Yuuya away before Ryouta found him and asked him to help him take the bins out.  The café was closing fast around them and Nageki had been kept preoccupied serving Yuuya. They were running out of time to change before the entire building closed, so they decide to go home wearing their uniforms. However first, the recycling needed sorting out.

“Do you think they’ll come back?” Ryouta asked as he took a wheeled bin with both wings and pushed it towards the back entrance.

“They might,” Nageki replied, “Depends on what they have planned for their finale.” He followed Ryouta with the second recycling bin.

“And if Sakuya does decide to apologise?”

“I haven’t decided.”

The lights in the café were flickering and going out as they pushed the bins to the roadside for the recycle van.  The back of the building was dingy and dark. It was full of large metal boxes that Nageki assumed contained wiring and meters for the building. There were parking spaces painted onto the ground but no one parked there except the delivery vans which were far too big for the spaces. No one wanted the customers to see this half of the café, it was a far cry from the bright interior or gleaming shop front.  Nageki wondered, mostly due to the parking spaces and tall doorways in and out, if this building had once been a human café. That would make sense since avian architecture, though no dissimilar, wouldn’t put all the handles and fixtures so high up. By that logic, the school was probably a human one too, judging by how annoying the lifts were.

“Hey Nageki,” Ryouta spoke suddenly making Nageki jump. It was late and the city was strangely quiet. A low hum of traffic nearby was the only noise apart from their voices. It was a little disconcerting.

“Yes?”

“The CCTV’s off.”

“What?”

“Look.”

Ryouta pointed to one of the swivelling CCTV cameras that stood over the exit. Indeed, the little red light that showed the camera was in operation was off. In fact there were no little red lights anywhere near the back of the building.

“Should we report it to the Security Gull?” Nageki asked, wondering why the security had failed. The lights always went off but of course the security never did. This was very strange.

“Yeah, he’s always last out anyway. Let’s go to the security officer and-ghk!”

Ryouta let out a choking noise and fell over backwards. There was a rustle of feathers and petticoats and then a thud. Nageki was at his side in an instant.

“Ryouta? Ryouta what’s wrong? Are you-“   Ryouta said nothing, he was out-cold. However he didn’t need to speak for Nageki to work out what had happened. A dart, tipped with a small white feather, and struck Ryouta in the neck. He was clearly breathing; in fact it looked like he was sleeping, but… Nageki panicked. What should he do? What could he do? Run inside and get help, whilst possibly leaving Ryouta helpless? Try to carry Ryouta inside and get darted himself? Scream for help and stay where he was, hopefully scaring away the attacker as people came to help them? The longer he deliberated, the more danger he was in. He couldn’t tell where their attacker was but if they had tampered with the security… This was far too organised…this couldn’t just be a crazed Coolene fan.  

Nageki let out a small coo as he felt a sharp pain hit his left wing. He looked down to see another of the darts had pierced him. Too late. All became momentarily hazy and he fell on top of his fallen brother, surrendering to the darkness at the corners of his vision.


	7. The Hawk Party versus The Host Club!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Would you like to fulfil a promise from long ago?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter parodies the BBL route. If you are triggered by anything that takes place in that route, please do not read this chapter. Trigger warnings for blood, murder, violence, manipulation, abusive parenting and medical malpractice.

When he awoke everything was equally black. Even though he was certain his eyes were open, he could see nothing around him, not even a faint glow or shape on any side of him. Well, he couldn’t turn far or look behind him. He could feel bands of cold metal about his neck and each of his legs. His wings had been spread and held in place with ties that he could not shrug off. They were too strong, as were the metal bands. He was pinned in place like a butterfly in a display case. Though, instead of a case, he seemed to be on some sort of metal bed. There was a firm cushion below his head but the rest of him was touching bare metal, which seemed very cold even though his feathers.

“I imagine the matter would be problematic to explain to one’s own offspring.”

Nageki jumped and there was a clatter. He could hear voices from within the darkness, two horribly familiar voices.

“I know Isa, you’ve got to help me. How on earth do I explain this right? This wasn’t in that pamphlet on parenting they had in hospital!”

“This is quite out of my area of expertise sir.  Perhaps you can find your answers on the internet.”

“Good idea!”

“You will have to be quick, they should be coming round soon.”

“Right you are Isa!”

Nageki attempted to shift within the constraints binding him to the metal table. By the brushing against his legs, he could feel that he was still wearing the uniform from Merry Feather, petticoats and all. That served no comfort however as a frightened coo next to him made him realise he wasn’t alone in his bound state.

“ _Nageki…”_ Ryouta’s voice sounded as dry as sandpaper.

“Ryouta,” he whispered in return, “Ryouta…where are we?”

Ryouta seemed about to speak but he was suddenly cut off by a comment of:

“Kiwipedia isn’t a very reliable source sir.” It came from somewhere in the darkness.  Nageki was certain he knew who the voices were and that only made things doubly more horrible.  The one addressing the other as sir was definitely Shuu. The other bird…the other bird could only be Doctor Kawara. Ryouta’s father, Nageki’s adopted father… Doctor Kawara had them bound in metal and pinned out like a human taxidermist’s project! He was meant to be their father!

“Damn, can’t find this anywhere! There are so many birds in the world, you would have thought somebirdie would have-“ Doctor Kawara was interrupted by Shuu suggesting:

“Try swapping ‘biological weapon’ for ‘something difficult’”

“Dad?” called Ryouta, his voice sounding a little stronger now. There was a flustered coo from somewhere in the darkness. Nageki was surprised the sound of his frantically beating heart didn’t block all other noises out but he definitely heard a series of clicks from above. These were followed by a searing light that Nageki had to close his eyes to escape the sheer intensity after pitch darkness.

“Dad, what’s going on!”  Ryouta was thrashing, Nageki could tell even with his eyes closed. The sound of wings thumping on metal echoed horribly in what was otherwise silence. 

“Dad, please! What’s happening to us!”

Nageki dared squint into the blinding brightness. No birdie was replying to Ryouta, who seemed to have stilled his thrashing. Nageki heard a cry from beside him and wondered if Ryouta had hurt himself.

As his eyes adjusted, his ability to keep a level head was lost. They were in an operating room. Those lights, those were operating lights. Those machines, he had been in enough hospitals to know which machines monitored things like heart rate, breathing… they had wires attached to them. Holes had been made in their uniforms and even some of their feathers had been removed to make way for pads and something like sticking tape. The walls were lined with machines, trays, trolleys, and racks of gleaming metal implements, some of which seemed more suitable for a butcher’s shop than a hospital! He had hated hospitals before but now… but now… He choked on his own breath and began spluttering.

“Nageki!” Ryouta cried.

“Calm down, it would be very disappointing if some minor distress ended up altering our results.”

It didn’t feel very minor. As Shuu stepped into the illuminated area, Nageki began to tremble uncontrollably. He’d been good! He had worked in the host club until the end had been declared! He hadn’t broken anything else. He hadn’t upset anybirdie who everybirdie else didn’t approve of him upsetting. He hadn’t broken any school rules or anything. He didn’t deserve to get disembowelled! He had spent so much time being scared in the normal hospital he didn’t want to die now!  He always thought he was going to die of something like the flu or something inconsequential like that. Yet at least in that situation, he’d have his family at his side smiling for him.  This wasn’t that. This wasn’t that at all. Yes Ryouta was here but they were both in an equally bad situation. What had Ryouta done to offend Shuu? What had Ryouta done to offend anybirdie? He wasn’t even part of the Host Club! Nageki had never seen them interact.  Was it just because Ryouta was a witness to the kidnapping?

“Please,” he begged, not sure what he was begging for, “Please, don’t hurt us.”

His voice sounded so small and high pitched.

“We have no intention of letting you get hurt, quite yet,” Shuu replied before turning to one side. Nageki turned the best he could and glimpsed a row of computer screens. At one sat a familiar rock dove. Why was Doctor Kawara involved in this?

“Dad!” cried Ryouta, who seemed to be of the same mind, “Dad! What’s going on? What are you doing in a place like this? Where are we?”

“You are beneath the school hospital, in the St PigeoNations Research and Medical Testing Centre,” Shuu informed them coldly, “And you have been kept here sedated since yesterday evening. The  Dove Agent was surprisingly efficient.”

He looked over at Doctor Kawara.

“What is the Dove Agent’s last known location?”

“He’s still sat at the entrance,” Doctor Kawara replied, another screen flickering on beside him, too bright for Nageki to distinguish its contents.

“Looks like he’s still nursing off his hangover… No wait, that’s a hip flask. That’s really not going to help.”

As Shuu let out a sigh, Nageki took a moment to consider all of this. There wasn’t much else to do, besides panic, and he was desperately trying not to do that. They were beneath the school hospital in a medical testing facility. They had been kidnapped, and brought here by force, having remained drugged from those darts for…goodness knows how long. It was already tomorrow by the sounds of it. Had Hiyoko noticed they were gone? Of course she would have. She would do everything she could to find them if she got worried about them. They had seen her try to dismantle a clothing store to find them once, if they didn’t return home from work… She would definitely do everything in her power to search for them. Hiyoko’s power was considerable so if she hadn’t found them yet… Nageki felt the panic rise in his chest again. No. No. Screaming and crying wasn’t going to get him anywhere. He had to stay calm. Take deep breaths. Think about everything else Shuu had said.

The Dove Agent.  Shuu and Doctor Kawara had mentioned the Dove Agent. Nageki knew about the two secret agencies that covertly tried to drive modern politics. It was hard not to learn about these things when you’d been personally affected by the wars between humans and birds.  The Dove Party wanted humans and birds to live together peacefully. The Hawk Party wanted to wipe out humanity completely in favour of a world full of birds. Of course Nageki favoured the way the Dove Party thought.  However there was a Dove agent involved in this whole kidnapping.  A drunk Dove agent, by the sounds of things, who was getting drunk again after a previous instance of drinking. It also sounded like the Dove agent had been the one to…to…

No it was impossible.

Nageki didn’t want it to be true.

“What is it now?” Shuu snapped. He has strayed over to the screens but looked back when he heard Nageki give a little cry.

“What did you do to Yuuya?!”

As Ryouta let out an exclamation of shock, all the pieces fell into place. Yuuya had been the one to tell Nageki not to walk about on his own. Yuuya had also drunk a lot of alcohol in the café yesterday. He was trying to impair his own ability to kidnap Nageki. This was because he didn’t want to, yet he had to.  The feathers on those darts were white. Yuuya was a, no, the Dove Agent. It was Yuuya who had kidnapped them! Yuuya had been forced to, against his will, by Shuu and Doctor Kawara. He was being controlled by Shuu just like in Anghel’s manga! Oh god, why? What had they done to Yuuya? What were they going to do to him and Ryouta? Why did this have to happen? Why them? Why now? Why any of this? Just why, why, why…

“Patient 00 is suffering from an episode of severe panic and anxiety,” Shuu reported. His tone would make you think he was commenting on the weather. This only cemented in Nageki’s mind that they were in the clutches of an entity of nightmare. Constant iterations of ‘why’ filled his head until they drove him into a fit of terror that had him thrashing on the metal bed, trying to look this way and that, looking for any source of relief, of hope…

“Patient 00 is too delicate for any more sedatives to be administered. Sir…if you could care to talk to your children. I will go and see what exactly Sakazaki is consuming.”

As if unable to deal with this sudden outburst of emotion, Shuu swiftly departed. He left a petrified silence in his wake, punctuated occasionally with a soft sob from Nageki.  Ryouta kept glancing between Nageki and his father, unable to do anything and seemingly gagged by his own fear. Nageki was trying and failing to calm down. He had already been scared of hospitals. Doctors had always intimidated him. Yet now he had been forcibly taken to this nightmare surgery room. Not only that, Ryouta was here too, and Yuuya… Nageki had been warned. He had been warned by Yuuya that something terrible was going to happen yet he had still landed them all in this state. He was to blame. This had to be his fault!  Now they were all going to be hurt!

“Dad…” Ryouta whimpered, “Dad, please, what’s going on?”

Doctor Kawara gave a guilty start but he did at last acknowledge them by walking over to their table and taking Shuu’s place.

“Ryouta, calm down and I’ll explain… and maybe ask your little brother to calm down too.”

He still sounded so cheerful.  Nageki barely knew the bird, he had hardly come home during Nageki’s entire life with the Kawaras. However the fact he could remain so cheerful whilst in this hospital from hell moved him from benevolent father figure to evil mad scientist in Nageki’s mind. 

“Nageki and I can’t calm down because we don’t know what is going on!” Ryouta exclaimed, “We’ve been kidnapped and tied up and covered in-in tubes! How can we calm down?”

It was then  Nageki realised what he had taken to be wires, were in fact very small tubes that had been inserted at various points on their bodies. This did not help his attempts to calm down at all.

“Please-Please don’t hurt us Doctor Kawara!” he sobbed, “I didn’t do anything wrong I-I promise!”  

“No, no, no,” Ryuuji assured hastily, “You haven’t done anything wrong. There’s no need to cry!  In fact you’re here because you’re going to be really _really_ helpful!”

“How?

_“Why?”_

They had spoken in unison. Ryuuji seemed to take a moment to consider which one he should answer first.  He went and sat on a wheeled chair and scooted back towards them through the operating theatre.

“Well the internet has failed me this time, so I’m going to tell a story! I used to tell good stories, didn’t I?”

When neither of his sons replied, Ryuuji simply carried on.

“Once upon a time, there was an orphanage on the edge of town, a war orphanage, called Hatoful House Centre for War Orphans.  Now my bosses, the ones right at the top, were really interested in Hatoful House because all the baby birds there had lost their parents to humans. Naturally they’d all hate humans and want to work for somebirdie who would get rid of the humans when they grew up.”

“The Hawk Party,” murmured Nageki. He felt his heart was sinking towards his feet. There was no way Doctor Kawara could be talking about any other organisation than that one. Who else sought the end of humanity? He couldn’t believe Doctor Kawara worked for the Hawk Party but now terror had seized him, Nageki couldn’t help but wonder what else could he be hiding behind that ever-cheerful smile.

“Yes, the Hawk Party!” Ryuuji echoed, “You were always so clever!  That’s why we took an interest in you at first! You see the Hawk Party has this great scheme where they take in clever baby birds and give them a home and a department, letting them grow into the best and brightest scientists. Like Isa! Anyway, the Hawk Party observed all the baby birds at Hatoful House and found out there were two there with genius-levels of intelligence for their age. Unfortunately one of them got adopted before we could come and say hello, but you survived! Therefore it was only common sense that I adopted you before anybirdie else did.”

Nageki lay still. Even his trembling ceased as his body seemed to give up  on any will to move. All the fight drained from him in one wave of horror, a more effective paralytic that whatever sedatives they had pumped into his body. He went limp.

Doctor Kawara didn’t seem to notice his reaction, for he ploughed on:

“And then we learnt something even more remarkable! Your immune system was quite unlike any we had encountered before.  For ages, the Hawk Party has been trying to produce new strains, stronger strains, of H5N1, the virus that was so good at wiping out all the humans. The problem with really dangerous viruses though, is that they’re fragile, and often can’t survive for very long outside a host with very specific conditions. However, with somebirdie with a immune system like yours, even some of our best strains could survive and you could help us achieve great things! Isn’t that exciting?”

Nageki couldn’t speak.  He didn’t think he could even try.  The more Doctor Kawara said, the more he heard the same conclusion repeated over and over again in his mind. There was only one conclusion to come too here.  This was all his fault. They never would have been in this situation if not for him. Ryouta would be free and happy not knowing how evil his father was. Yuuya would never have needed to be controlled.  Humanity would never have been put in so much danger. Everything would be so much better…if he never had survived.

He should have died. What else could this all mean? If he hadn’t survived the massacre, the Hawk Party would never have focussed on him. If he hadn’t lived to see another day there would be no carrier for human-killing viruses, no faulty immune system for the Hawk Party to play with, no easily-kidnapped bird to fall prey to their schemes.   Life  would be so much better for everybirdie… including him.

Yes he would never have had Ryouta and Hiyoko, and that was a huge downside, but then again, Ryouta and Hiyoko would have had each other and never been involved with this horrible plot. He wouldn’t have lived long enough to become so included in a family he had always thought adopted him because they loved him. How often had he, like all other birds at Hatoful House, dreamed of having parents and a family of their own? The day the Kawaras adopted him had been the happiest of his short life. He already knew Ryouta from school of course and to find himself amidst such kind and loving birds… What did that even mean now? He hadn’t been adopted because they wanted to love him. He hadn’t been adopted because they thought he should have parents and a family of his own. He was a tool to Doctor Kawara, to the Hawk Party, he wasn’t regarded as anybirdie’s son was he? Mrs Kawara had always been very kind to him but…what if she knew? What if she was part of the Hawk Party too? He felt suddenly very small in the face of organisations that had been observing his entire life.

“Dad…” Ryouta filled the silence left by Nageki’s terror, “Dad…that’s not exciting. That’s-That’s not ok, at all.  Nageki would never kill anybirdie. How could you think he would?”

“Well he wouldn’t be controlling it,” Ryuuji reasoned, he seemed a little taken aback by the expression of horror and disgust on his son’s face, “He’d fly about the human camps and the virus would travel through the air! We’ve made a special way to give doves super speed and strength so he’d be able to get everywhere before anything happened to him! Or you!”

“Anything happened? Or me?” Ryouta repeated, his voice shrill, “Dad! I-I…can’t believe you. I can’t. Why. Why would you? How can-“

“You’re going to help!” Ryuuji exclaimed, “We altered your prescriptions slightly and made sure your immune system is going to be just like your brother’s. You can make the world a better place too!”

“You’re mad!” Ryouta cried, “You’re completely mad! How could you think this was ok! How can you hate humans? How can you hate us? How can you hate Hiyoko?”

“I don’t hate you Ryouta…”

Nageki watched silently as it seemed Ryouta had reached melting point as well. He had good reason to. By his logic, which Nageki couldn’t refute, they were both going to die soon. Why couldn’t he have just died all those years ago and not put them in this situation?

“You want to turn us into weapons and have us mass-murder until we get shot down by humans! You’re sending us to our deaths! That’s-That’s not the what good Fathers do! Why would you even _consider_ anything like this!”

“Because that’s what you wished!” Ryuuji scooted a little further away from them now Ryouta had begun to shout.

“I…wished?”

Ryuuji nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah! Don’t you remember? It was on the day all those poor baby birdies died. We were standing in our front garden, just after we lost poor Mr and Mrs Tosaka. You were with Hiyoko and you turned to me and said: _Daddy why do birds and humans have to fight so much? I wish they would all just stop. I wish birds and humans didn’t fight anymore. I would do anything to make them stop_ … So you see, I’m fulfilling your wish!”

“What part of that wish meant turn me into a biological weapon!”  Ryouta had cracked. He was hardly ever loud and now it seemed he didn’t know how to stop.

“What part of that wish meant manipulate a poor bird who had just lost everything?  Why would you think I wanted humans to die? Why would you think I wanted…any…any of this?! Please, Dad, don’t do this! I-I wish none of this had ever happened! I wish we were all ok and nobirdie has to die! Why can’t you fulfil that wish instead?!”

“I see the attempts at calming down the patients isn’t going well Sir.”

Ryouta turned and his bed rattled. Nageki didn’t need to move to know who that voice belonged to. Shuu had returned. Shuu had returned and getting sympathy from him would be like trying to draw blood from a stone.

“Any suggestions Isa?” 

“None, but it doesn’t matter. Once we enhance their capabilities they will lose all sense of will and self-identity anyway.”

That did not help them calm down. Ryouta resumed his thrashing, his wings tugging painfully on the straps that bound them, his body hitting the solid metal beneath him with a series of solid thumps.

“You’re both monsters!” Ryouta sobbed, “Monsters! I won’t let you hurt Hiyoko! I won’t let you hurt Nageki! I won’t! I won’t!”

Shuu ignored him and continued to address Doctor Kawara.

“The delivery from headquarters is late. I’ve been reliably informed the samples will be packaged within a label printer and delivered to the hospital by the Head Janitor. If all was going to plan, he would have already received the delivery. Asking after it immediately however would seem suspicious. So I shall give him twenty more minutes before idly inquiring at the delivery service myself.”

“Ok. Has Sakazaki stopped drinking now?”

“Yes, I took his flask and poured away the contents. It appeared to have the colour of mouthwash.”

“Ew,” Doctor Kawara scooted over back to the computer screens.  Shuu walked over to the side of the lab occupied by the racks of malevolently shining tools and knives. Nageki could see, just out of the corner of his eye, that Shuu had drawn a pair of scalpels from a bag hanging on one of the racks. He also took from the pouch a small bottle and a paintbrush. He dripped the brush into the bottle and began to paint the scalpels with a clear fluid. Nageki decided he didn’t want to know what this was for, but he’d inevitably find out anyway. He looked away from the gentle caresses Shuu was paying the handles of the scalpels and focussed on the ceiling again.

They were going to die.  They were going to filled with a human-killing virus and sent off to their deaths.  It would have been better if it had just been him. Nageki had always known he was going to die before those he cared about. He never would have imagined though that they would leave this world with him. If the virus was going to spread to all humans in the area then of course Hiyoko would be affected. It would be all his fault if Hiyoko died…If only he had never survived! Now the initial shock had faded, he felt tears trickle down his cheeks once more.  All they do was wait for that delivery to arrive. A seemingly-innocent label printer full of a deadly genocidal virus…. Was that why Doctor Kawara had been so enthusiastic about a label printer before? Or had they chosen a label printer as a hiding place because they knew Dr Kawara liked them so much? Either way, what did matter. They were going to die!

“Isa!” came a delighted cry from the line of screens, “We’ve got a delivery! Let’s go and sign for it!”

“Of course Sir.”

There was a clatter as Doctor Kawara pushed his chair under the desk. Nageki let out a pathetic little coo as the pair of birds hurried towards the exit.   Soon, soon they would have their label printer and he and Ryouta would be as good as gone. They hadn’t even got to say goodbye to Hiyoko before they left for the café! Now they would never have the chance. Would Hiyoko even recognise them after whatever horribly experiment Shuu and Doctor Kawara had planned?

“Nageki?” Ryouta’s voice came like the whispers of a breeze in the sudden stillness of the room.  Silence had fallen in the wake of the scientists’ departures but now Ryouta was trying his best to turn to look at him. Nageki could hear the creaks of his restraints. He didn’t look at Ryouta. How could he bear to face the one he had led to his death?

“I’m sorry,” his voice cracked, “I’m really sorry.”

“What are you apologising for?” Ryouta asked, “This-this isn’t your fault.”

“We-We wouldn’t be here if this wasn’t my fault,” Nageki stammered, “This happened because I survived, this happened because I-I didn’t die at the House and-and your father adopted me to manipulate me not love me!”

There was a rattle as Ryouta tried in vain to get to his brother as fresh tears began to dampen Nageki’s feathers.  There was another rattle but it seemed Ryouta had realised his efforts were in vain.

“No, no you can’t blame yourself.  If anybirdie’s at blame here, it’s me. I’m your big brother, and I care about you whatever Dad says. As your big brother it should have been my job to protect you and-and we even had a warning! I should have run inside with you as soon as I noticed the CCTV!”

“But you would never have needed to protect me or notice the CCTV if I had never survived!” Nageki sobbed, “You never would be here.  You never would have been in danger. No birdie would have to die if-if I hadn’t survived! You and Hiyoko…you’d be safe…and better off without me.”

“You can’t say that,” Ryouta objected but Nageki didn’t let him finish.

“Of course I can! We’re all going to die, all three of us, and it’s all my fault! I’m the worst little brother to ever-“

“No you’re not!” Ryouta sounded almost hysterical from a mixture of fear and desperation, “You’re the best little brother I could ever have wanted. When I found out it was you who Mum was talking about taking in… That was one of the best days of my life.  If-If you hadn’t survived we never would have had all those years together! You can’t say we’d be better off without those.”

Nageki wasn’t quite sure how to reply to that. He was always under the impression Ryouta liked being with Hiyoko more than him. Ryouta had always been very caring and protective, he knew that, but hearing it out loud… He started to cry harder.

“Being adopted was the best day of my life,” he sobbed, “Because you were there and-and I’d always wanted to know what being in a normal family was like.”

“If you hadn’t survived, you wouldn’t have ever known,” Ryouta reasoned. Nageki could hear him taking deep breaths.  Giving into the urge, he attempted to turned his head to meet Ryouta’s gaze.  He managed it, just about, and saw his own hopelessness mirrored there. Ryouta was trying his very best to be an optimist even now. It would be cruel for Nageki to ruin that. He closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them again, willing the tears to stop.

“I’m-I’m glad I got to be your brother,” he told Ryouta, “I don’t blame you…you didn’t know you had to protect me. You…You are the best big brother I can imagine.”

“That’s high praise…You’ve got a pretty good imagination,” Ryouta chuckled, his laughter sounding hollow and scared even as he tried to lighten the mood.

“You’re the greatest and cutest little brother I could ever imagine. I bet Hiyoko would say the same.”

Nageki hoped she would.  He didn’t know if Ryouta had thought through the implications of what was going to happen. However he didn’t want to be the one to tell him they were about to murder their sister.  Ryouta was right. If he had never survived he would never have known what being in that sort of company was like. There would have been no Saturday morning cartoons, no family trips out for ice cream, no fun birthdays or terrifying parents’ evenings.  There would be so many things Nageki simply wouldn’t be able to understand.  Yet here he was- dying alongside his big brother. A few years ago, he wouldn’t understand what it was like to have a big brother. He had never been very sociable with the other children at Hatoful House. At times he hadn’t thought himself a very good brother, he’d often been too ill to do what Ryouta and Hiyoko wanted.

“I’m sorry for never watching Season Eight of Pretty Coore with you.”

Ryouta seemed a little surprised by the change of topic but he merely gave another nervous laugh.

“That’s ok,” he replied, “It wasn’t that good. They really upped the fan service in the intro and it got a bit cringe-worthy after the first few watches. There’s only so many tail-feather shots you can sit through.”

“Did they manage to rescue Pretty Coore Light Grey’s mother?” That was all Nageki had wanted to know really. Talking about irrelevant matters like this was better than thinking about what was coming.  Ryouta seemed to understand his line of thought.

“Oh yeah they did, in the first episode of the series. That was quite cool, they conquered the doubt in Pretty Coore Light Grey’s heart by reuniting her with Darkheart Dove, and their combined power broke through the Solitude Shield.”

“Darkheart Dove was the one who turned out to be Pretty Coore Light Grey’s long-lost older brother right?” Nageki was sure that had happened at least three series ago. He was good at keeping up with the plots of books but sometimes Pretty Coore abandoned its characters for so long he got confused.

“That’s right, he ran off to re-join the League of Black Roses in Season Five. He came back for Season Eight and-“

**INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT. INTRUDER ALERT.**

Nageki cooed in alarm as Ryouta was suddenly cut off by a loud mechanical voice from above.  All thoughts of fictional adventures were forgotten as the room suddenly turned a bloody red as flashing lights, previous invisible to the captives, bathed the room in what could only be a warning light.

“What’s going on?!” cried Ryouta.

“I don’t know…There’s an intruder!” Nageki added, unhelpful in his panic.

They lay there, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, cringing with every flash of crimson light. There was no sign of Shuu or Doctor Kawara. The computers screens had turned off or gone to sleep, their glow extinguished in favour of the bright warnings. The mechanical voice stopped after a dozen or so exclamations. They were left alone with their thoughts but it was almost impossible to be distracted from the glaring lights.

“Do-do you think somebirdie is here to save us?” Ryouta sounded rather breathless. Nageki wondered who he thought was coming to save them. Hiyoko? The Hawk Party would undoubtedly have weapons to deal with humans. Besides, Hiyoko didn’t even know where they were. How could she have known there was a secret facility under the hospital? Let alone know that’s where they would be taken? Perhaps it was the police? Once again, how would they know? For one mad moment, Nageki imagined that the Dove Party was going to come to rescue them like they did in the spy movies. However if he was being manipulated, wouldn’t Yuuya know how to guard against the Dove Party? Unless it was Yuuya himself who had disobeyed orders and come to their rescue. What chance would he have against the scientists? Especially after consuming all that alcohol!

Nageki didn’t reply. He didn’t know and saying that again just seemed pointless.  They fell silent, waiting for some sort of sign, any signal of who and where the intruder was.  The light persisted in dazzling them so Nageki closed his eyes.  They would hear somebirdie coming before they could see them.  Be it Shuu or Doctor Kawara or the intruder, they had to make some sort of noise. So Nageki waited. Ryouta was still, though Nageki could just about hear his panicked breaths, though that could be his own, or his imagination. For all they could sense they might as well be the only ones in this entire laboratory. Everything was too still. Everything was too silent.

It may have been minutes. It could have been hours. Nageki had no way to tell the passage of time and had long surrendered his vision, leaving him powerless to try looking about for anything useful. He had tried his bonds again, and upon finding them still too strong, lay still.  If Ryouta had any thoughts about this he wasn’t sharing them.  All Nageki could tell was that Doctor Kawara and Shuu must not have their delivery, for they would be back by now if so. The intruder must have gotten in the way of that and that’s why they were taking so long. They would live a little longer, even if that life was nothing but terror. On occasion Nageki considered striking up a conversation with Ryouta again. However each time he tried his throat felt too dry and all his words seemed meaningless. So he continued to wait.

The silence went on.  Ryouta might have cooed at one point but Nageki wasn’t sure. It might have been him.

The light stopped flashing after a while. Nothing else changed though. Nageki peered at some of the sinister knives before closing his eyes again. They looked a little less sinister when they weren’t lit up red.

Doctor Kawara and Shuu still hadn’t returned. What was taking them so long? How skilled was this intruder that they were keeping two birds so occupied? Or maybe the pair was simply disposing of the intruder’s body. Perhaps the waiting and not knowing would kill Nageki before they did.

How was Yuuya coping? Was he dealing with the intruder too? Maybe he was the intruder. Maybe not. Nageki would never know.

It must have been an hour by now, maybe even two. Somehow through the fear Nageki was feeling hungry. Maybe his body wanted energy so he could flee. Not that it would make any difference against all this metal. His breathing had slowed and his panic had slightly subsided, even if their situation was no better off.  He still hear his heart hammering. Perhaps Doctor Kawara and Shuu weren’t coming back any time soon. Maybe the intruder had forced them to flee for now and they had abandoned Ryouta and him here. Nageki somehow found that hard to believe.  A horrible feeling told him that the scientists would be back at any moment with a label maker full of poison. Yet they had not seen beak nor feather from them for what felt like years. Where were they? What was going on?

“Nageki?”

There was a slight clatter. Ryouta had spoken ever so quietly but had still succeeded in making Nageki jump.

“Yes?”

“Listen. I think…somebirdie’s coming.”

Ryouta fell silent and they both listened intently.  Nageki closed his eyes and willed himself to simply listen.  He almost jumped again. Ryouta was right. He could definitely hear somebirdie coming. Multiple somebirdies…

There were footfalls and voices.  Not in this room, but perhaps a room or a corridor adjacent to it. The voices were growing louder, more distinct. Somebirdie was shouting and Nageki felt as if his heart had leapt into his chest as he realised who it was.

“Your villainy shall not see the blessed light of day! Cease this cowardly flight Wayward Alchemist and stand before the judgement of this holy blade!”

Nageki could barely believe it. Yet if anybirdie had the power to be such a distraction to Shuu and Doctor Kawara, it would have to be Anghel.  Nageki didn’t fully understand the full extent of Anghel’s strange abilities. However if those included being able to track his presence, or maybe knowing about secret underground locations, he certainly wasn’t going to complain.  He had never felt more like the Caller of Stars. Estelle was constantly getting rescued by the Crimson Angel of Judecca. From this point onwards, Nageki would never complain his damsel of a fictional self… well he still didn’t know how much time he had left.

“That’s Anghel…” breathed  Ryouta as the footsteps got louder.

“He’s chasing Doctor Kawara.” Nageki replied. Shuu was the Dark Sorcerer Wallenstein, who definitely wasn’t an alchemist.  It was mere process of elimination to identify Anghel’s quandry.

“Do you think he managed to get in here alone?” Ryouta whispered, “How did he know we were gone?”

“It is Anghel.  Though I’m not sure how he would know-“ Nageki was interrupted by a loud clatter and the bang of a door. The sound of footfalls was gone.  Well, Anghel was here but he wasn’t heading in the right direction. Nageki’s hopes sank a little but he kept on listening. Anghel could find them. Nageki hoped nothing bad happened to him. He couldn’t add Anghel to the list of casualties that would his fault. He couldn’t bear to think of that so he simply went back to waiting.

“Nageki!”

Ryouta hadn’t needed to gasp. New footfalls and new voices, these ones most definitely weren’t Anghel.

“I demand you cease this twisted game immediately!” came Sakuya’s voice, “Why tarnish your good name with such disreputable deeds?!”

“I would rather you desist with all this needless babble.”  That was Shuu.  Somehow they were both managing to be louder than Anghel, which could only mean one thing. They were both much closer at hand.

“Give back Fujishiro and his brother and we will vacate the premises at once. Then this shall be discussed under due authority in a court of law.”

Sakuya had said ‘we’ and Nageki got the distinct impression he would never asked for Anghel’s assistance. In fact, Nageki was surprised Sakuya had come to his  aid at all after what had just happened between them. However Sakuya wasn’t the only member of the Host Club.  He also wasn’t somebirdie who could easily get hold of Anghel. The Host Club was here.  The Host Club had come to save them! Yet how good could they be against the Hawk Party?

“You’re so stupid it’s not even amusing,” Shuu snapped, “Why come this far for such a pathetic little bird. Natural selection would have killed him years ago if not for the work of birds like us.”

“Fujishiro is my subordinate,” Sakuya retorted, “Whether he registers that is inconsequential. It is a noblebird’s duty to maintain the welfare of his subordinates. Fujishiro shall be saved. That is what is expected of somebirdie as pure-blooded as a Le Bel.”

Suddenly Shuu began to laugh.

It was as unnerving as it was unexpected.  Nageki had never heard him laugh before. His chuckles were scary enough, but no ‘ho ho ho’ could have prepared him for a sound so mirthless yet full of satisfaction.

“Well by your logic, Fujishiro has run out of luck then. I do not see anybirdie pure-blooded enough to save him.”  

“Excuse me-!”

The sound of footfalls, only one set this time, seemed to silence Sakuya. Or perhaps whatever those footfalls had entailed had quietened him. Nageki had no way of knowing.

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand,” Shuu replied, “It’s been clear ever since I stepped into that den of idiocy you call the host club…I was being forced to obey the ravings of some mundane commoner.”

“How could you-!“ Sakuya’s voice had suddenly became very high pitched.  Something had changed. Sakuya sounded terrified. What was going on?

Then Shuu spoke again.

 “To be frank, I am bored of you. Goodbye Shirogane.”

“No!” Nageki cried.  Yet only silence followed his exclamation. Nageki felt panic rise once more, constricting his chest, making it difficult to breathe.  Sakuya had been… Sakuya was… Shuu had… It was his fault if… The silence felt like it had gone on forever but it was broken in what could only be mere moments.

“Ah what tender brotherly love Sakazaki,” chuckled Shuu, “And such impeccable timing.”

“How long since we met Isa? You should know by now that I could never leave a beauty waiting.”

 It was Yuuya! Relief sent Nageki’s emotions rocketing skywards, though the roller-coaster they had been put through was wearing on his mind until all faded back to fear after the initial euphoria.  He thought about turning to Ryouta and reassuring him that Yuuya would undoubtedly make things better now he was on their side. However what was said next, silenced him before he could even open his beak. If he spoke over them they would never know what was going on.

“Sakazaki you’re-“ Sakuya gasped.

“Just a scratch little brother.  Nothing to fear.”  Yuuya gave a little laugh. To Nageki though, he sounded pained.

There was a pause before Shuu commented.

“You’re surprisingly sober for a bird who has been drowning his sorrows all day. I didn’t realise moral redemption could be so uplifting.”

“Never drowned your sorrows have you Isa?” Yuuya replied, “Anybirdie who had would know that wasn’t alcohol. Just a little something cooked up at base. We have our own R&D department you know.”

“What are you talking about?” cried Sakuya, however he was ignored as Shuu said rather pointedly.

“Such a shame they couldn’t outfit you with a stab-proof vest.”

As Nageki’s eyes widened in realisation, there was a gasp from Sakuya.

“Sakazaki, that isn’t a scratch! You need to find medical assistance this instance and-“ He was cut off.

“Did I not tell you to shut up you filthy half-blood?” Shuu’s tone sounded gleeful.

“Isa!” Yuuya’s on the other hand was livid. Yet his voice was certainly weakening. Nageki grew fearful even as the fantail exclaimed.

“I should’ve known you’d go back on our agreement as soon…as soon as we crossed your door!”

“I only promised that I wouldn’t tell anybirdie else,” Shuu reasoned, clearly amused, “Not that I wouldn’t tell him himself. I might have done it sooner, if he didn’t wear on my patience so.”

“Sakazaki, what is he-? What are you do-  SAKAZAKI!”

Sakuya let out a scream so loud and high pitched that it pierced their ears as effectively as the darts had done their skin.  There was a dull thump from somewhere in front of them, behind a tightly sealed door.  Nageki’s breath caught in his throat and he spluttered. No. No no no no no…

“Sakuya…” Yuuya’s voice was only just audible, “Sakuya I…”

“Sakazaki! Sakazaki, you must hold on. This was no time for unbidden heroics!  Sakazaki, look at me! You are not dying here.”

“Oh I think you will be able to get a confession or two out of him before that happens,” Shuu chuckled, “Now, sit still and listen closely. I have a label printer to retrieve…and the megalomaniac who stole it.”

It seemed Shuu had left the two fantails in the corridor for there were footsteps and then nothing. If Sakuya and Yuuya were speaking, they were talking far too quietly for Nageki to hear. He thought he might have heard a few muffled cries of ‘Sakazaki’ but otherwise he was none the wiser. The fact remained however that Yuuya had been stabbed, perhaps multiple times. Nageki had never heard Sakuya express so much care for his brother and it had definitely Sakuya that Shuu had been trying to kill. Nageki’s only thought was that Yuuya must have got in the way.  Yuuya had taken the knife, no, scalpel, for his brother. The brother who hated him yet he loved unconditionally. Now, now Yuuya was… They were still talking, or at least Nageki thought they were. So Yuuya wasn’t dying. Yuuya couldn’t be dying. He didn’t deserve to die. He didn’t deserve to be manipulated, forced to hurt those he cared about, and then die. The Dove Agents in the movies always came out better off.  They always had other plans but… Nageki had seen Shuu take a pair of scalpels and coat them with something, something Shuu wasn’t prepared to touch with a bare wing.  Poison? Nageki didn’t want to believe it. He didn’t want to believe Yuuya had been hurt, that Yuuya was dying. Yuuya had been the one to sit with him through that thunderstorm. He had been an oasis in a school so hostile to commoners. He had such a kind heart. He didn’t deserve such a terrible end!

“Nageki, hold still.”

He hadn’t realised he was shaking until he heard Hitori’s voice from his side.  He jumped and the table rattled.

“Ssh,” Hitori urged him, “Stay still for a moment,  we’ll get you both free.”

With a glance to the side he saw that Nanaki was unstrapping Ryouta’s wings.  The Host Club must have split up: Sakuya in one direction, Anghel in another, but the quails had stuck together.  They quickly had their wings free but the metal bands proved troublesome.

“Hitori, how do these come off?” Nanaki whispered, “They’re built into the table.”

“There should be a mechanism somewhere,” Hitori said, ducking under the table bearing Nageki to look for it. He let out a light ‘aha’ and shuffled back out, feathers ruffled.

“They’re like vices, unscrew the butterfly-shaped bit under the table and they’ll loosen to the point they’ll be able to be prized off. You’ll have to get under the table.”

“Ok.”

Nageki waited as the button quails shuffled under the large metal surfaces. With the grinding sound of the metal on metal, undoubtedly the vices unscrewing, he couldn’t hear anything from Sakuya or Yuuya.  Hitori and Nanaki were making small peeping noises as they strained to open the vices and between them and the metal itself, all other noise was lost.

Ryouta was free first. The metal bands about his feet  slid down the table before being caught by Nanaki, who lowered it noiselessly to the floor.  The one about his chest could not slide but Nanaki unscrewed the vice enough to be able to slide it sideways off the table.  The same happened to the band about Ryouta’s throat and finally he was able to wobble off the bed. He stood for a moment, clutching onto the bed and Nanaki. The quail was looking a little crushed.  Ryouta was clearly having a trouble supporting his own weight.  When released, Nageki thought it was a miracle that he had managed to get up at all. As he sat up and tried to step  down onto the floor, his legs felt like they had been turned to marshmallow.  Hitori gently eased him down but he had to lean heavily on the cold metal. He hadn’t felt as wobbly whilst lying down, but now he was trying to support his own weight, the world seemed to be teetering back and forth. Clearly they hadn’t recovered from being drugged. Nageki hadn’t noticed the tubes being removed from him, too fixated on the conversation going on outside the room to pay attention to his numbed body. However there were now band aids small and circular with the Pretty Coore logo on, placed wherever a tube had been. Ryouta was in the same state, his work uniform torn and now dotted with glittery plasters.

“What happened?” Ryouta begged. He had the sense to keep his voice hushed.

“How did you know we were here?”

Hitori and Nanaki exchanged a worried glance before looking back behind the beds. Nageki turned to see what was so interesting. Behind their beds, previously invisible to them, was another door. Judging by the fact that it was slightly ajar, that must be how the pair had got in.  It wasn’t far. A few beds’ length stood between here and there, however Nageki and Ryouta were in no fit state to take any unsupported steps. The quails could try to provide support, but they were far too short to provide a wing to lean on. 

“How did you find out we’d gone missing?” Nageki tried as the quails raked the room with a searching stare. What they were looking for, he couldn’t tell. However a means of support or a wheelchair would be a good idea.

“Hiyoko,” Hitori replied, voice low, “She noticed you two never came home. Her first thought was to call Yuuya, we don’t know why. According to her, he didn’t pick up but he’d recorded a voicemail message with another phone number in it. Hiyoko called that number and it turned out to be Sakuya’s. She told him everything that had happened and he called all of us, sending cars to take us to the Le Bel mansion.”

“He felt guilty,” Nanaki added, “Sakuya knew you only went missing because you were working at Merry Feather. You wouldn’t be working there if he hadn’t been rude to you. He felt bad. Hiyoko was panicking and for the first time ever, Yuuya wasn’t responding to him or trying to get in contact. He knew something was wrong.”

“He used his security team to track your mobile phones to the school hospital. The signal was lost an hour later but we knew the general gist of it.” Hitori gently eased Nageki against the table and  hastened over to where the computer screens were arrayed. He returned with a desk chair, the type Doctor Kawara has used to scoot across the room. Nageki took the seat gratefully as, inspired, Nanaki went to get another for Ryouta.

“When we got to the school grounds, we found Anghel,” Nanaki added as he helped Ryouta sit down, “He was trying to get over the fence but he was frightened of the barbed wire. Hiyoko said she hadn’t called him and none of us had. It must have been the power of love or something.”

“Maybe,” Hitori acknowledged, “But whatever the reason, Sakuya proceeded to barge into the janitor’s office to find him already in there, dressed in bullet-proof gear and goodness knows what else. He’d been tipped off by Yuuya that something was going on underneath the hospital. Turns out they’re both agents of the Dove Party.”

“I had guessed Yuuya was one,” Nageki said quietly, “Shuu has been manipulating him for months. He was the one that kidnapped us.”

“Yeah, Mr One said that was likely,” Hitori replied, “He let us help…begrudgingly and mostly because Anghel swore he knew the way to the underground facility. Turns out he did. Mr One split us into pairs, Anghel and Sakuya went in one way with the intent of destroying their electricity generators, Nanaki and I came to find you, and Mr One didn’t tell us what he would be doing with Hiyoko, only that we should make as little noise as possible and that he wasn’t responsible if we died.”

“Which wasn’t very reassuring,” Nanaki noted as he attempted to push Ryouta forwards with the chair.  He made a little progress but both rock dove and swivel chair were rather too big for him.  Hitori reached up to attempt the same with Nageki’s chair as he said:

“True, but let’s just focus on getting out of here for now.”

“ _I_ don’t think you’ll be going anywhere.”

The quails took flight in shock. They landed in front of Nageki and Ryouta, wings out-stretched, as Shuu slowly stepped towards them. He had appeared through the entrance that Hitori and Nanaki had taken into the room and was now barring their exit.  He looked furious. There was blood on one of his wings, the same wing that bore a crimson scalpel. His eyes, darkened with rage, moved from the button quails barrier to the freed captives who trembled amidst their petticoats.

“If you didn’t wish to go in the same direction as Mr Sakazaki, then you would step aside,” he informed the quails, advancing slowly. They stood resolute, upright with their full wingspan on display. This clearly did not intimidate Shuu in the slightest. He advanced.

“I had enough of this bothersome game. Our plans have been years in the making and I’m not going to let them halt here. Do not fret.  I’m sure I’ll be able to find some use for your bodies after we have finished our experiments.”

“Nanaki, get behind me.” Hitori darted forwards, shielding his friend with his body, his wings still out-stretched. He was staring intently as Shuu approached, never blinking as the partridge grew closer and closer.

“Hitori…” Nanaki whimpered. Hitori cut him off with a whisper that Nageki could only just hear.

“When he gets close enough, circle round and get his weak side.  Don’t pull your blows. He’s too big for anything else to work. Rip out his feathers if you have to.”

“Right.” Nanaki nodded and two quails tensed, as if ready to spring into action.  Nageki wished there was something, anything, he could do to help them. However he was stranded, too weak to even move the swivel chair along, and Shuu was bigger than even him. What chance did the button quails have? What they didn’t have in size they made up for in determination but…. Shuu had already hurt Yuuya. He wasn’t going to spare them either.

“Be careful!” Ryouta cried. He was ignored.  The pair kept their eyes fixed on Shuu and when he was only a few steps away they cried in unison:

“Get him!”

What happened next was too fast for Nageki to comprehend.  He had never seen the quails move so quickly. The next thing he knew, Shuu had let out a sound of pain and toppled over onto his side. Not one but two scalpels lay on the floor beside,  both spinning like a bottle at a birthday party. Yet, as Nageki stared at the moving knives, there was another cry, this was also pained but much higher pitched. Before Nageki could gather what was going on, both Nanaki and Ryouta had cried:

_“Hitori!”_

The black and red quail had fallen to the ground beside Shuu. He seemed dazed, Nageki did not know why, but he was struggling to get back to his feet. Nanaki had clearly tried to hasten to his side but now Shuu had pinned Hitori in place at his side, leaning on him, wings about his throat. Ryouta tried to move however his chair merely made a loud creak and fell over.  He was trapped under the heavy seat as Shuu growled though his pain:

“I suppose you thought that was clever,”

Hitori spluttered and choked as the others stood still, petrified by their fear. Hitori wheezed as Shuu’s grip grew tight.

“Na…na…ki…” Hitori’s wings were hitting at Shuu’s but it was pointless. The partridge was too strong.

“Na…na…ki… I...”

“LEAVE HITORI ALONE!”

In a flash of silver, Nanaki seized one of the spinning scalpels. With an almighty wail he plunged the steel into Shuu’s good side.  Once, twice, thrice… he didn’t seem to know how to stop. Shuu let out a horrible gurgling cry as the others watched on in horror.  It took a gentle touch from Hitori, who was still gasping for breath, to calm the enraged Nanaki. It was only then that Nanaki dropped the implement and sank down to check on his friend.

“Hitori are you alright? Can you hear me?”

Hitori took deep breaths, leaning on Nanaki as he managed to totter to his feet. Nageki noted that he was standing very gingerly on his left leg, but other than that, he seemed unharmed. He wobbled towards the others and leant against Nageki’s chair, breathing heavily.

“Hitori!” Nanaki cried, “Hitori, did he hurt you anywhere else?”

“I’m fine, really, I’ve… just a few ruffled feathers. I promise.”

“But you’re limping!” Nanaki made to go and fetch another chair but Hitori stayed him, taking hold of one of his wings.

“It’s alright...it’s not like I haven’t had practice with limping.”

“Hitori!” Nanaki sounded scandalised. He had actually gone pink under his feathers. Nageki had no idea why the mood between them had suddenly shifted but it seemed like it had. As pained gasps came from behind them, Hitori gave a short wheezy laugh and affectionately preened a few of Nanaki’s feathers back into place.  Nanaki proceeded to do the same, clutching Hitori’s wing a little tighter. A thought struck Nageki as the two proceeded to hug and preen each other a little more. He had always known the pair were very close but could they possibly be a couple?

Yet he didn’t get very long to think this though.

“As sickeningly sweet as this all is,” gasped Shuu from the ground, “I wish to state that you have just murdered me.”

“Murdered?” repeated Nageki. The quails seemed to be off in their own little world, for neither responded.

Shuu let out a cackling laugh.

“You saw it Fujishiro…the nerve toxin I put on those scalpels… It was so efficient at silencing Mr Sakazaki. It seems… I have fallen on my own sword so to speak. How unexpected.”

“Evil shall never prevail whilst the Exquisite Brethren remain resolute!” came a cry from the doorway. Through it hurried Anghel. More surprisingly, he was leading Sakuya with him by the wing. The fantail was staring mutely at a box he was carrying with his other wing.  It was a small red box with a picture of a small grey and blue device on its side. It looked identical to the label printer used in the school infirmary. Sakuya merely clutched the printer to himself, allowing Anghel to lead him straight up to the fallen partridge.

“Finished wailing have we?” Shuu taunted the melancholy fantail, “Ready to report me to your oh-so important father? Oh wait-“ He laughed

“Shut your beak,” Sakuya snapped, “Shut your beak you foul- you foul tyrant! I-I do not need to run and hide behind any authority figure.  It is my own name, my own being, that shall pierce the heavens and rain justice upon those who seek to besmirch innocent hearts. I have a quest. In Yuuya’s wake I shall venture forth and though my search will never succeed, I shall find myself in the process. The quest to find one’s self is the greatest venture of all. ”

“You’ve been listening to that delusional Luzon,” Shuu retorted, “Well as they say, the mad leading the blind…”

“You are in no position to be making jests Wallenstein!” Anghel proclaimed, “Your vile schemes are at an end.  Show me my Caller of Stars! My crimson breast has not ceased its beating since I learnt he was led into darkness!”

“He’s over there Higure.” Sakuya let go of Anghel’s wing and pointed at Nageki. Anghel let out a triumphant cry and fluttered across the room, where Nageki sat, both immensely relieved and concerned. No birdie else seemed to have understood that Shuu was dying.  Somehow, despite all that had happened, Nageki felt the partridge shouldn’t simply lay there in a pool of his own blood, slowly dying as everybirdie gloated about him. His injuries, if they were poisoned, would take a great deal more than a few Pretty Coore plasters to sort out. However none of them had any medical expertise.  Perhaps it was best if the Dove agent, the janitor, came and found them? He would be able to do something.

“Caller of Stars! Joy fills my Crimson Breast at your safe state!” Anghel embraced him with rather too much force. The swivel chair wobbled and Nageki gently patted Anghel on the back rather than returning the gesture. He didn’t know how much he could move his wings.

“You’re ok…” Nageki replied weakly, “I was scared. I heard you chasing Doctor Kawara.”

“The Wayward Alchemist fled,” Anghel announced, “His cowardice afforded him no mercy and he abandoned his work to our grasp. The Hallowed Magician of White now bears his evil device and when the Guardian of the Golden Laurel returns, it shall be contained and safety shall be restored. Fear not, brave Caller, your trial is at an end.”

“Thank you,” Nageki sank a little in his chair, “Thank you for coming…thank you to everybirdie… I-I thought we were going to die.”

“This loyal servant would never allow such a tragedy,” Anghel replied firmly, “And look! I believe the Guardian and noble Edel Blau approaches.”

Indeed the other door, previously closed, swung open.  Through the entrance, where Nageki was sure Sakuya and Yuuya had faced Shuu, came a cockatiel. He was tall and bright yellow, armed to to the beak with a number of black pouches on his belts, some of them undoubtedly containing weapons. They were guns, but on top of his already frayed nerves, Nageki couldn’t bear to think of them like that for much longer. After everything he had been through today, he didn’t want the sight of guns on top of that. Behind the Dove Agent, wearing tattered pyjamas, stood Hiyoko. She bore the limp form of Yuuya and a grimly determined expression on her face. However when she saw her brothers, she gently put Yuuya down on one of the metal beds, before hurrying over to lift the chair off of Ryouta.

“Ryouta! Nageki! You’re ok!”

“We-we are… I think,” Ryouta replied, as she pulled him into an inescapable embrace. He was lifted off his feet and as Anghel darted aside with a startled coo, so was Nageki. She held on tight to both of them as if unwilling to ever let them touch the ground again. Nageki merely rested his head against her shoulder. He wondered whether he should ask to be let down so he could see everything that was going on, or whether he even wanted to. The cockatiel had moved out of his line of sight and he could hear murmuring from round about Shuu’s vicinity. As Ryouta assured Hiyoko they were in one piece, Nageki could just about hear a pained gasp from Shuu.

“So it was you was it? Hiding in plain sight… typical Dove Party tactics.”

However Nageki’s attention was soon drawn back to Hiyoko as she exclaimed that she was going to take them both to the hospital above to:

“Get those nasty chemicals out of you so we can all go home!”

Home! Home sounded like a dream come true to Nageki. He had been so certain that this was it, the end, the long wait until their deaths. Yet here he was, surrounded by friends and family. The host club had saved him. Hiyoko had saved him. They didn’t resent him for having survived.  They didn’t hate him for landing them in so much trouble. Anghel was here and Hitori had survived and… He cast a glance towards the occupied table.

“Nageki, no,” said Hiyoko,  moving so he couldn’t see what lay there.

“This isn’t your fault,” she continued, “None of this is… Yuuya, he… From what Leone J.B. said, he knew what he was getting into,  he knew what danger he was in and he prepared for it. From what we gathered this was his plan... I would stand in the way of any homicidal maniac if it meant your safety!”

“That’s both reassuring and isn’t,” Ryouta mumbled, “But…I’m glad it’s over.”

“It is indeed young bird.” The cockatiel approached them, stowing away what looked like a mobile phone in one of his pouches.  He gave the pair of drugged doves a quick glance-over and nodded, seemingly satisfied with the quails’ attempts at patching them up.

“I’ve notified the Party and the school as to what has gone down here this afternoon,” he informed everybirdie in a loud and authoritative tone.

“We’ll be keeping an eye out for Ryuuji Kawara and his allies, but we expect the school is going to try and hush the whole thing up.  It’s likely you’ll all receive some very Bright and Massive cheques and some formal letters in the post. I can’t tell you what to do with them but I say accept them, make the most of a bad thing. The Party will make sure to keep the rest of the Kawara family safe, though the Hawks should know better than go for the same targets twice.”

“What about him?” Sakuya asked, casting a glance at Shuu who lay still on the ground. Nageki glanced at him too. He was lying still but he was definitely breathing. Nageki could see the rise and fall of his chest. His wounds had been covered and his wings tied. Evidently Mr One had plans for him.

“He is at the mercy of the Party,” the cockatiel replied, “That will be punishment enough, let me assure you.”

Despite his bright appearance and relaxed voice, those words were surprisingly intimidating. Nageki was content to think that the Dove Party would deal with Shuu just like they did with bad guys in the movies, even if he knew that probably wouldn’t be the case.  Nageki wondered if anybirdie would let him go to sleep soon. This day had been too much for his nerves, and though his limbs already seemed to be sleeping, his mind was not.  He slumped against Hiyoko, who didn’t seem to mind. Hopefully they’d get to go home soon.

“Are Ryouta and Nageki going to be ok?” Hiyoko asked Mr One.

“They’ve been drugged, but that’s all I can tell with my expertise,” he replied, “If that’s so, they should be able to rest it off. If not… Well we’ll make sure they get a check-up at the hospital before you take them home.”

Hiyoko nodded but Nageki merely closed his eyes. He couldn’t take any more hospitals. He just wanted to go home to his own bed and maybe his own books. He wasn’t in any position to object however so he allowed himself to be pulled wherever Hiyoko and the others so wished. As they gathered themselves, more birds joined them. They were all strangers, looking like doctors and nurses but they were all armed. Nageki and Ryouta were put on stretchers, despite their protests, and they were carried out with haste. Hiyoko kept astride with the birds all the way to the hospital above and argued her way into the ward. Nageki, feeling no safer in here than down below, started to fidget and only stilled when Hiyoko came over to hold his wing. If she hadn’t been there, he might have started crying at the prospect of new injections. However Hiyoko kept him distracted with a stream of chatter about what they were going to do when they got home. As she went on about bubble baths and going to the movies, Nageki was able to ignore what the strange nurses did. In fact he fell asleep there on the hospital bed, though he didn’t know if that was weariness or something the nurses did to him. Either way, he heard something about his bedroom before slipping into unconsciousness.

The next thing he knew he was in his bedroom, staring at the glow in the dark stars upon the ceiling.  He could hear sounds of running water from downstairs and the cooing of a passer-by from outside the window. He rolled over and saw his school uniform was hung up neatly on the wardrobe door where he left. Beyond that, Ryouta’s bed was empty.  There was a glass of water on his bedside table but no other signs that he’d been there. Nageki went back to staring at the stars. He wanted believe everything that had happened was a nightmare. However he knew better.  He was bandaged up and he still felt a little woozy. Looking at his own bedside table he saw another glass of water. He sipped at it and felt a little better.

A closer inspection of the window showed it to be early evening. Nageki couldn’t help but feel he had been in a long and deep sleep.  It had been the afternoon when they had left the underground facility and he had been in the hospital for a long while. It could not be the evening of that day, but the evening after. That explained why he felt so hungry.

He stirred weakly and got out of bed on shaky legs. He stumbled and sat back down.

“Hiyoko? Ryouta?”

“Coming!” called Hiyoko from downstairs. There was a noise like a charging beast as she hurried up the stairs and into the room, the door of which was open.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, hurrying to Nageki’s bedside, “You’ve been sleeping a lot longer than Ryouta did. Do you want to come down and have something eat? I’ll carry you!”

By ‘I’ll carry you’ she meant ‘I’m going to carry you now’. Nageki knew better than to resist. Besides he had better questions to ask.

“What day is it?” he inquired as she took him down the stairs.

“It’s Friday,” she replied brightly, “Friday evening, about seven o clock! I called in for you both at Merry Feather, but it turns out they already knew you wouldn’t be in this evening. Probably something either the host club or Mr One dealt with.”

That was a relief, but Nageki was more concerned with his and his brother’s health.

“Is Ryouta alright?”

“He’s getting better,” she assured him, “He’s well enough to stop me blowing up the kitchen trying to make dinner. The hospital said he didn’t get drugged as much as you did, probably due to the weakness of his stomach. That’s at least why he woke up first I think.”

“Yeah…” Nageki didn’t really want to talk about hospitals right now. Hiyoko seemed to sense this and gave an apologetic smile.

“Come on, you should see what the Host Club did!”

Their kitchen had been transformed. There were flowers on nearly every surface. Only the hob and the sink had been spared from the sudden invasion of flora. They had clearly run out of vases for there were glasses and tumblers scattered about, all filled with flowers. Upon the floor next to the door, Hiyoko (it was likely her) had filled her own wellington boots with water to hold two great bunches of tulips. On the table, in the centre amidst the blooms, stood a brand new tea pot, resplendent with a set of six matching teacups on saucers. Beside them were a sugar bowl and milk jug. The fine gold detailing made the set look like they were dotted with constellations on an inky blue background.  Nageki remembered how shocked Sakuya had been that they didn’t own a tea set.   Was this from him? Or the host club at large? There seemed to be too many flowers around to be just from the three remaining members. What had they told the guests? That must who this was from!

“You’ve got quite the fanclub,” Ryouta commented. Nageki hadn’t seen him at first, he was lost behind a vase full of lilies.

“Sorry…I didn’t expect this. Did Sakuya send us the teapot?”

“We don’t know actually,” Hiyoko sat him down on a free chair, “We got a call from Hitori this morning. He said he was trying to contact you but he gave me a message.”

She placed one hand on her hip and the other into a pocket of her dungarees.

“According to Hitori Sakuya came into school today with a big bag full of clothes and possessions. Hitori’s fairly sure he’s going to run away from home.”

“Pardon?”  Nageki was sure he hadn’t heard that right. Sakuya wanted to leave home? Why on earth would he want to do that? He was so proud of his home and his family. Why would he wish to leave it?

“Sakuya’s running away,” Hiyoko repeated, sounding strangely delighted, “It’s not like he’s going to have any trouble if he got what we did.”

Nageki was even more confused. He glanced at Ryouta to see if he was going to speak anymore plainly.

“Mr One was right,” Ryouta explained, “The school is trying to buy our silence. We got a cheque in the post this morning. Take a look.”

He carefully reached over the vases to hand a white envelope to Nageki. Upon taking it, Nageki carefully took a slip of paper out and inspected it. The school logo was printed in one corner and at the other, Ryouta’s name and family bank account, alongside…

“That’s-“ he gasped, “That’s-“

He couldn’t really comprehend how much that was.  There were only so many zeroes somebirdie could read and comprehend.  That was more money than he could understand. That was probably more money than he would or could ever have imagined.

“We get that each if we stay quiet,” Ryouta noted.

“Each?” Nageki repeated, a little breathless.

“Each.” Ryouta repeated, sounding serious.  He seemed like he was thinking hard but Nageki wasn’t quite sure what the indecision was for. Yes the school had allowed the Hawk Party to run rampant on their grounds. Yes lying to everybirdie about what happened wasn’t exactly a good thing to do. However surely financial security, not having to work themselves to the bone and being able to fix the leak in the attic was far better than that? Nageki was sure he would be left with a lasting fear of hospitals and his gun phobia would only get worse but…well…maybe they could afford to help him with that now?

“There’s enough money here to go to Disneyland,” Hiyoko noted eagerly.

“And to see Pretty Coore on Ice,” Ryouta replied, the slight wistfulness in his expression betraying his reluctance.

“And for all three of us to go to university,” Nageki added, “We…we would all be as rich as anybirdie who might go to St PigeoNations. You both wouldn’t have to work at all…”

“And on top of that they gave me a scholarship,” Ryouta commented, disbelief intruding upon his tone, “All so we didn’t talk about what happened.”

“So…” Hiyoko continued in a rather sing-song fashion. She took an identical envelope from her dungaree pocket and placed it in front of Nageki. It was addressed to him and evidently contained the cheque for him.  Nageki gave Ryouta’s back.

“So?” Ryouta repeated.

“Do we have their hands, well wings, off or not?” Hiyoko exclaimed, “It’s up to you two…You were the ones most affected. Nageki?”

Nageki didn’t need to think for very long.  Hiding what had happened wasn’t immoral per se and besides… Their happiness and well-being was far more important than trying to hurt the school. Money didn’t buy happiness but it certainly bought family trips, psychiatric care and all the books he could ever want, which was much like happiness in his opinion.  He was very good at staying quiet and doing what he was told. If he was going to get paid for that, so be it.

“We take the money.” His reply was short and simple.

Ryouta pulled a conflicted expression. He was staring at his envelope as if was going to jump up and bite him.

“I don’t like the idea of being bought,” he murmured, “I know having all that money would be great and I would love to go to school with Nageki but…I don’t like living differently or being told how to think about or remember something..”

“Well we’ll always remember it in the same way,” Nageki pointed out, “As will the host club, we can talk about it amongst ourselves.”

“And it doesn’t have to change much!” Hiyoko added, “I mean…I’m not going to quit hunting just because we’ve got spare money. And you don’t have to stop working, it’s just easier now if we have to make repairs or want to go something nice! Like Pretty Coore on Ice and Disneyland!”

“Yeah,” Ryouta sounded a little more enthusiastic, “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” He looked up Nageki.

“And…if I go to St PigeoNations… Maybe I can be part of the Host Club as well and show all those noblebirdies what’s what.”

Nageki smiled. He liked that idea immensely. The guests wouldn’t know what to do with Ryouta. He could be as charming and inviting as any of the hosts even without Nageki’s ‘tragic little commoner’ appeal. How would the guests react to Coolene? How would Sakuya react to Coolene? Nageki kind of wanted to see that.

“If it’s still around, maybe you can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does the Host Club even exist anymore? Is Sakuya really running away from home? What will Ryouta think of St PigeoNations? All this and more in the epilogue of Hatoful High School Host Club!


	8. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can things truly go back to normal after everything that's happened? Will the Host Club survive after its members' traumatic ordeal?  
> Find out in this final chapter of Hatoful High School Host Club!

Ryouta wasn’t due to start at St PigeoNations until the following week. However Nageki was adamant he wanted to go back to school on Monday.  If they were doing as the school said, and pretending nothing had happened, then there was no reason why Nageki shouldn’t be in lessons.  Despite regaining the use of his legs, Hiyoko and Ryouta had insisted he stayed tucked up in bed, or sat down comfortably, for the entire weekend. Quite frankly, Nageki simply wanted to pretend this whole horrible business had never happened. Despite lying drugged for so long, sleep wasn’t coming easily. Nageki lay awake at night, his mind turning over and over at what had just happened. He needed something different to think about. He needed his mind to be engaged by something else than shock and terror…something to move his thoughts away from grief.

He had wept for Yuuya. Ryouta seemed to be trying to avoid talking about it but Nageki managed to get from Hiyoko that Mr One had removed Yuuya’s body from the underground facility. Hiyoko had informed him whilst she recapped all that he’d missed.  Ryouta didn’t seem as upset as he was. Ryouta had got on well with Yuuya but Nageki couldn’t help but feel that his brother did not know the fantail as well as he did. He had only known the bird for less than half a year yet…  They had been close.

Yuuya hadn’t deserved to die. Not at all.  As his thoughts turned on him, pointing the blame inwards, he began to cry in earnest. The episode of Pretty Coore they had been watching (from Season Eight) had to be paused for a group hug and many insistences of: “ _nothing that happened was your fault”_ and “ _he wouldn’t want you to blame yourself_ ”. Whatever his siblings suggested, Nageki knew he had led them and the Host Club into danger. Whilst they didn’t resent him for it, that didn’t stop the fact that Yuuya had died because of all the trouble he’d caused.  Nageki knew he would never forget the fantail. Neither would he stop blaming himself for all that had happened. There was no getting away from that fact so Nageki had to behave as he always did. He had to distract himself, push on, try and regain a normal way of living... just like he had done after the massacre. Returning to normal meant going back to school, so there was no question about it. He would go back to school.

“Nageki, please,” said Ryouta, as they got ready on Monday morning. Ryouta wasn’t going into school today. Apparently he was going into Merry Feather to renegotiate his and Nageki’s shifts, then he was going to the hospital to tell his mother everything that had happened. Their sudden riches meant that Mrs Kawara could be moved to a better hospital with very little strain on their bank accounts.  However she would likely want an explanation as to how they came by all this money. Nageki wasn’t sure how that worked with the whole-sworn to secrecy element but he was sure Ryouta could cope with it. In fact Ryouta seemed to having more trouble with Nageki’s attempts to leave the house than he was with hospital arrangements.

“Nageki, you don’t have to,” he reasoned as Nageki took his keys from the hook next to the door.

“I want to,” Nageki insisted, opening the front of his bag to stow his keys away. As he did so, he couldn’t help but notice a large white envelope had been put in there. On closer inspection, he remembered what it was.  Yuuya had given him a letter to give to Sakuya if nobirdie had seen him for two weeks. Well…nobirdie was going to see him now, so… Nageki had to deliver the letter. This was yet another reason why he had to go into school today.

“Nageki, I…”

Nageki turned and hugged his brother. Ryouta returned the embrace gratefully but even the tight grip of his wings did not stop Nageki turning to leave.

“I’m going to be ok,” Nageki informed him, “And if I’m not…I’ll call home at once.”

“Hiyoko will come and pick you up immediately if you do,” Ryouta assured him, “She’ll be at work, but she’ll have her phone on.”

Nageki nodded in understanding.

“I’ll talk to the Host Club about you joining,” he added as he opened the front door, wondering how much time he’d lost in setting off.

“Good luck.” Ryouta still looked very hesitant to let him leave, but Nageki decided he really couldn’t dither any longer. He smiled and slipped out before any more needed to said. If Ryouta delayed him long enough he would miss the bus and then he truly wouldn’t be able to go.

Before now, Nageki had thought nothing of having to walk past the hospital every time he went the short distance from the bus stop to the school’s gates. The two premises, school and hospital, shared a long sloping drive. As Nageki walked up the path, already filled with students, he couldn’t help but shudder at the sight of the glimmering silver gates that marked the start of the hospital grounds.  He had no idea how large that underground base had been. For all he knew, right now, he could be walking over the very room that could have held his death…or the corridor that contained Yuuya’s. A steady stream of limousines and cars with tinted windows were crawling up the driveway and through the first set of great golden gates. There was a little booth on the side of each road, making sure each driver had clearance to come inside. Nageki didn’t know how it worked but this seemed like extreme measures of security for a school. Especially a school that hadn’t noticed the Hawk Party running rampant in its grounds… What was done was done, he supposed. Besides, he wasn’t meant to be thinking about that!

A red limousine with a fancy gold crest on each of its doors rumbled past. Nageki watched it go, wondering what the crest,  a fox with a dove on its back resembling a horse and rider, meant. Did the student or students in the car know? Did anybirdie else?  Nageki was reminded by the news Hiyoko had got from Hitori. Sakuya had run away from home. He’d come into school, but Hitori was sure he was trying to leave. Would he be in school today? Had he actually run away?  Where was he living now? If Sakuya was in school, maybe Nageki would be brave enough to ask him. He needed to deliver the letter anyway, and ask if the Host Club was still operational.

“Hey, Nageki!”

He turned.

The cars had ground to a halt. A few cars down from where Nageki stood, a window had been wound down and a familiar wing was waving at him.  Nageki hurried over and peered in to see Hitori was sat in a large leather seat far too big for him. He opened the door and beckoned Nageki in. Nageki knew it wasn’t much more of a walk up but clambered in anyway. Hitori had his own limousine! How fancy!

“Hello,” Nageki said as he sat down.

“Hey,” Hitori replied. It might have been the first time Nageki had ever seen him outside of class without Nanaki.

“It belongs to my adoptive parents,” Hitori answered, noticing Nageki’s amazement, “They’re very into keeping appearances.”

“I see.”

There was a moment of silence in which the car moved forwards about half a metre but no more.

“Nageki?” Hitori’s tone was serious.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry for bringing this up, I’m sure you’d rather forget everything that happened. However, I have to ask. Can you not mention Shuu around Kazuaki?”

Not mentioned Shuu around Nanaki?

“I won’t,” Nageki promised, “But why not?”

Hitori pulled an expression of awkwardness.

“I was thinking about something that happened the other day...  Shuu’s scalpels were poisoned were they not? I heard Shuu say something about being murdered and if they were poisoned well… I don’t think Kazuaki would cope with the idea that he’s a murderer. He did tell he wanted to gouge Shuu’s eyes out at the time…but I don’t think he ever be the sort to do that to anybirdie. Let’s just say it’s best not to mention it.”

“I understand.” Nageki nodded in agreement.  He didn’t blame Nanaki for what had transpired. If he hadn’t acted Hitori would probably have been strangled.  Not mentioning it was the best option though, it was one less topic of conversation that could be brought up about that time.

He sat in the car until Hitori decided it would be better off if they got out and walked. There seemed to be some sort of hold up at the barrier, and as they strode past it, they saw somebirdie’s driver was having an argument with the bird on security. As they entered school, they parted ways, Hitori to his own homeroom and Nageki to his. As he entered, Nageki scolded himself for not asking any news about the host club. Since none of the other members were in his year, he would just have to wait until after school and then see if anybirdie was in the music room. He did however keep an eye out for Sakuya. He couldn’t tell which classes were second year classes though so his searches all turned out to be in vain.

After school he returned all his books to the library before hurrying up the spiral staircase towards the ever so familiar music room. With fewer books, he was able to use his wings a little more and soon he was on the landing with little to no struggle.  Approaching the door, he noticed it was devoid of flower petal filled wind or the smell of roses. The door was very much closed and a sign had been affixed to the front above the handle. It said in large bold lettering: MUSIC ROOM IN USE. As Nageki approached he could hear the sound of piano music. It was soft and gentle, reminding him of a lullaby. Yet it wasn’t a lullaby he had ever heard before. It was far too sad to be soothing.  Yet the fact remained. This wasn’t the host club’s clubroom anymore. It was very much a music room. Was this it? The club was gone?

“Nageki?”

He turned.

At the top of the spiral staircase stood Hitori and Nanaki, it was the latter who had spoken.  Nageki glanced at the club room and then back at them.

“It’s Sakuya who’s in there,” Nanaki said quietly, “He’s been in there all day. He didn’t even come out for lunch.”

“What are you two doing here?” Nageki asked. Why would they return if it was all over?

“We wanted to see if he was ok,” Hitori replied, “But…he wouldn’t speak to us at lunchtime. Maybe you should try.”

Nageki nodded and approached the door on quiet feet. It was unlocked and opened noiselessly to the touch. There was no swirl of flower petals. For some reason this saddened him.

The music room looked like just that, a music room. The area had been stripped bare of everything the host club had placed there. The floor now consisted of gleaming wood, no carpet in sight. All the armchairs and little tables, the flowers, the tea sets…not a trace of them remained. The curtains had been removed and functional metallic blinds put in their place. Where his own little area had once been was a large cluster of music stands. The room looked huge and empty. The solitary figure, sat a grand piano in the furthest corner, looked very lonely.  It was Sakuya. Yet not as Nageki had seen him before.

He had done away with his tailcoat and now wore the uniform blazer and tie instead. His tail, which often provided a barrier between him and the rest of the world, looked fairly deflated. It was no longer displayed at its fullest extent, and if Nageki wasn’t mistaken, looked like it hadn’t been groomed properly in a while. You could tell with fantails because they had so many tail-feathers. Though still very tidy, the Sakuya he saw now was a mess compared to how the fantail usually presented himself.

Nageki didn't want to disturb his playing so walked as quietly as he could across the bare wood floor. He didn't like the room when it was empty.  It made his footfalls far too noticeable, usually they were inaudible over everybirdie talking.  He reached the piano, letter in hand, and waited for Sakuya to finish his piece.

“Fujishiro?”

Evidently he hadn't been quiet enough.

“Yes?” he replied.

Sakuya turned round to face him, staring at him as if he wasn't quite sure the mourning dove was there.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, in a much softer tone than his usual way of barking orders.

 “I thought I still owed you an apology?”

“You do,” Nageki acknowledged, “But a lot of things have happened since then.”

“Indeed.” Sakuya nodded and looked down at his feet. There was a moment of silence in which nothing stirred within the music room and the only noise was some murmuring from outside the door. Nageki glanced at it. Hitori and Nanaki weren't being very subtle with their eavesdropping.

“I am sorry you know,” Sakuya broke the silence with a murmur, “I was afraid and I took that out upon you. It was unjust.”

“Afraid?” That was certainly new. Nageki wondered what Sakuya was afraid of and thought back to that rather unpleasant conversation. Sakuya had closed the host club under his father's instruction. Was it his father that Sakuya was scared of?

“Yes,” Sakuya paused a moment as if expecting Nageki to carry on the conversation without further explanation. When he did nothing of the sort, Sakuya sighed and carried on;

“Of my family's expectations. Spending my time running a host club certainly did not live up to them. My father was angry, he threatened to disown me if I did not make amends. I was frightened and therefore lashed out, at you. Please accept my apologies.”

“Apology accepted.”

Sakuya looked up at him, rather startled.

“Just like that?” he exclaimed, “You...just take my words and forgive me? What preposterous notion is this?”

“I've forgiven you” Nageki said simply, “I understand your situation now, and I now know that you understand what you did wrong. So your apology was accepted.”

It made sense. Sakuya had no real objections to Hiyoko and Ryouta whilst he was there with them in the house. Sakuya was the sort of bird who would tell somebirdie if he had a problem with them so that ruled out guests' courtesy at that moment.  Nageki had been the one to stand up to him, the only one to really talk to Sakuya during his club-closing speech. So of course he had been the one to have his family insulted. Sakuya would probably have done with same if anybirdie else had stepped forwards.

“I-I see.” There was another pause. When it seemed Nageki wasn't going to be any more explanatory than that, Sakuya looked back down at the floor. Nageki chose that moment to present him with the envelope.

“What's this?” Sakuya sounded rather flustered, as if he couldn't cope with being presented with two foreign ideas in such short succession.

“Yuuya gave it to me,” Nageki dropped his voice to a respectful hushed tone.

“We had lunch together shortly before...everything happened. He gave this to me and told me to give it to you if we didn't see him for two weeks. Well, it hasn't been two weeks, but we aren't exactly going to...well.” He attempted to pass the envelope a little more insistently.

Sakuya took it with a trembling wing. There was an audible gasp from the door. If the quails were trying to be sneaky, they were doing it badly.

“What is it?” Sakuya asked, staring at the mundane office stationary in his wing.

“I don't know. Letters usually come in envelopes,” Nageki pointed out.

“I know that,” Sakuya snapped, but his usual ferocity was gone. He was holding onto the envelope as if it was going to explode at any moment.  He frowned at it before setting it in his lap and gently prizing open the flap. Nageki wondered if this was private and whether he should go. However Sakuya was saying nothing. Despite the frown, the fantail's expression was unreadable. Nageki stood there awkwardly as the former club-leader began to unpackage what proved to be a large wad of papers. The majority of them seemed to be more envelopes, bound together with brightly coloured elastic bands. The first piece of paper however, was blue, evidently to be eye-catching. It was this that Sakuya read first.

Nageki, truly wondering if he should leave now, was shocked to see tears starting to run down Sakuya's face. The fantail attempted to wipe them away once, twice, three times...but it seemed no use. Nageki rummaged around in his school bag and took out a packet of tissues. Sakuya accepted them gratefully.

“Is there anything else I can do?” Nageki inquired, “I don't really know what transpired between you two so perhaps I should just-” He turned to go but he was interrupted by three birds at once. The quails were making motions of protest out of the corner of his eye. They clearly wanted him to stay and find out what the matter was. Sakuya however had also objected, he had thrown out a wing and caught one of Nageki's with it.

“Fujishiro I-”

Nageki stared at him.

“I want you to stay,” Sakuya murmured, “You...you have a remarkable presence. It's as if you're the young protagonist of some sort of slice of life adventure, always able to fix their co-stars problems.”

“I wasn't really aiming for that role,” Nageki replied, feeling rather awkward. In retrospect he had fixed all the major problems the host club had faced since he had arrived here.  Nishikikouji Tohri, Anghel's window breaking, some spats between the fantail brothers... and everybirdie had admired him to some degree as well. He had even found love! He shivered a little. His life was certainly shaping out to be a slice of life adventure and he hadn't even been aware of it!

“Well you seem quite adept at it,” Sakuya commented. He attempted to wipe the tears from his eyes once more but it seemed it was no use. They weren't going to stop.

“I don't really know what your problem is,” Nageki said honestly. There was spontaneously helping people and then there was being expected to be able to help. They were quite different, the latter was a lot more pressurising.

Instead of replying, Sakuya chose instead to remove the elastic band from one of the bundles of envelopes. He opened the first and revealed from it more papers, these ones however were colourful and glossy. Photographs? The fantail gave a loud hiccup though his tears. Nageki truly had no idea what to do.  He would much rather leave in all honesty.

“Sakuya, I don't really-”

Nageki was interrupted.

“ _Sakazaki was my brother._ ”

The way Sakuya had said it made it sound like a momentous discovery, but Nageki didn't get it.

“Wasn't he always your brother? I mean, he called you brother all the time?”

Sakuya made a spluttering sound before exclaiming:

“I-I meant that we share the same father!”

“Isn't that normal for broth-” Nageki was interrupted as it seemed Sakuya realised he was being far too vague. This realisation was accompanied by a great rush of:

“I thought he was my half-brother and his father was a commoner and therefore I didn't like him because the bird I thought was my father told me to hate commoners and him especially. But it turns out the bird who I thought was my father murdered the bird who was Sakazaki's father and then he tried to have Sakazaki's unhatched sibling thrown out because he didn't want our mother to have another living child and Sakazaki got told to destroy the egg. But he didn't destroy the egg, he swapped it with the first egg of our mother and the bird I thought was my father and destroyed the other egg so I thought I was a noblebird but I'm not a noblebird and everything I thought was a lie! And Sakazaki lived all that time with the guilt that he'd killed that egg and I only ever was vile to him because of what the bird who isn't my father said and he was my brother all along!”

That made a lot more sense. Nageki didn't really know what to do about it though, except acknowledge that everything added up now. Yuuya had been blackmailed with the secrets he had been keeping from Sakuya. That must be why he had been working for Shuu. Not only that, when Nishikikouji Tohri was here, he'd angered Yuuya so much because he'd hit the nail on the head in his 'fake' characterisation. Yuuya would die for his brother, in fact he'd just done so.  In fact hadn't Tohri called him “Mr Dove”? The pheasant had known he was Dove Agent! Also! Everything was falling into place so fast that Nageki had to repress a gasp. Yuuya wasn't homeless. He had not been scavenging, but investigating, in those bins.  Perhaps the manipulation by Shuu had lasted longer than he'd thought? Perhaps even longer than he'd been at this school, that was why Anghel had been writing that Knightmare Fantail character for so long. That was why Yuuya had appeared not as his paladin fantasy-self but as the Knightmare Fantail when Anghel had been on too much coffee!

He patted Sakuya gently on the wing, not really knowing what else to do. Yuuya must have known very well that there was a chance he would die very soon. That wasn't a very comforting thing to say to Sakuya though. Yet he had to say something...

“I think,” Nageki began. Sakuya looked up and Nageki saw the contents of the papers at last. They were indeed photographs. Each one contained a fantail pigeon, almost identical to Sakuya and Yuuya apart from her choice of attire, and beside her there seemed to be a pure white rock dove. Sakuya and Yuuya's parents?

“I think,” Nageki tried again, “Yuuya would not want you to dwell on the past. He died for you to keep living so...make the most of what he's given you. You're no longer under the control of the bird who isn't your father so...do what you want to do with your life. Follow your own dreams, regardless of whether they're meant for a noblebird or not. Do what makes you happy, play the piano, make friends, carry on with the Host Club. Yuuya would want you to be happy.”

A glance at the door told Nageki the quails were nodding approvingly. Good, because he'd just made all of that up on the spot.

“You're right,” Sakuya sighed, “You are very wise Fujishiro...I mean, Nageki.”

“It's common sense really.” Nageki glanced at the door again wondering if the quails were actually going to come inside once things seemed to look up.

“Perhaps, but my confidence may require a little more than common sense upon the realisation that...well, I cannot have a noblebird's arrogance.” Sakuya began to look through the photos as he talked. Nageki thought that once again he was stating problems without seeing them through to their solutions. He probably hadn't listened to what had been said to him in their argument about the host club's closing, but it bore repeating. The host club had definitely been a means to boost everybirdie's confidence.

“Why not re-start the host club? It could help you make friends and compliments always help.”

“With only four of us?” Sakuya huffed, as if Nageki was being ridiculous. He hadn't however rejected the idea at once, showing he was at least considering it.

“Ryouta wants to join, he's starting school next week.” It was as good a time to announce that as any.

“Five then.” Sakuya seemed unconvinced. Nageki grasped for his other alternative member.

“If we let him draw whilst working, Anghel would probably join,” he reasoned, “His art corner could have the shop in it, instead of Shuu's...whatever he did. We could have an art section in the host club and attract new customers who want to talk and draw.”

Sakuya looked like he was seriously considering it now.

“I must confess I have somewhat missed the attention...also I was loathe to hand in the paperwork so we are officially still in existence,” he sounded like he was talking to himself so the mourning dove let him continue muttering.

“The budget was very much the school's money so there shall be no impediment to the club's capability with my altered position but...how do we get our customers back?  They could have made other arrangements for their time in light of news of the club closing. We would need something that we know, for sure, they would definitely want. A certified crowd-pleaser is the only way to achieve a grand re-opening with guaranteed attendance.  Yet what has that great a lure?”

Sakuya’s gaze was fixed on the open door to their changing room.  Nageki could see through the door that the space had been converted back into a store room for musical instruments. With all those neatly-ordered keyboards, it was hard to believe that in that room, he’d once been forced into a maid dress.

That was it!

“A maid café,” Nageki suddenly announced.

Sakuya looked at him as if he had gone mad.

“Everybirdie was very eager to see the rest of the host club in maid dresses after I wore one,” Nageki explained, “In fact they were all speaking over each other in excitement. Would that not guarantee a good attendance?  Yuuya was very enthusiastic about the idea and so were the guests… I think it would work.”

Honestly he expected Sakuya to brush the idea off as ridiculous and then go back to thinking aloud. However the fantail did nothing of the sort. He fidgeted on the piano stool and gave the photographs a contemplative stare. Though he didn’t look like he was actually looking at the pictures, more like that was the direction he was using to stare off into the distance. He didn’t seem to be rejecting the idea either.

“Yuuya was very enthusiastic about it,” he said to no birdie in particular, “And we promised the guests…a promise that never got fulfilled.”

He sighed.

“You are correct, Yuuya would have enjoyed it immensely. Perhaps…Yes. This is a means by which we can honour his memory.”

Nageki opened his beak to say that wearing maid dresses was a very odd way to honour somebirdie who had passed away. However he then remembered this was for Yuuya, so closed it again. This sounded like exactly the sort of thing Yuuya would want done in his memory. All the more reason to do it really.

“Right!” Sakuya stood up, holding the photographs close to him so they didn't fall on the floor.

“We must call a full-club meeting! Find Uzune and Nanaki!” His authoritative tone was back but it wasn't necessary.

“They're right outside” Nageki outed the quails' position by pointing towards the gap in the door. They gasped but obediently came inside. Sakuya didn't seem to care or notice that they'd been eavesdropping for he carried straight on with:

“The host club shall reopen next Friday with a maid cafe extravaganza! We have slightly less than two weeks to prepare so this shall certainly be something for the school to remember.  We shall have to make use of one of the school halls or perhaps a large conference room, a room that must be connected easily to the kitchens. This room shall be our changing and preparations area.”

He strode across the room, to a cupboard opposite the changing room. Opening it, he revealed a great amount of the host club furniture had been stacked inside.

“I will arrange for the furniture to be moved, redone, and multiplied,” he announced, “I will also gather options for our costumes, I will need measurements from you all and our new members. Nageki, your job is to persuade our new members into attending. Primarily, I want your brother.”

“Yuuya would have made a joke there,” Nanaki muttered to Hitori. He sniggered. Sakuya ignored them both.

“Ryouta Kawara has been working in a cafe for a number of years, correct?” Sakuya continued, “I will consult him about ideal place arrangements and set ups though I of course will draft many before he starts next week. Nageki you must encourage him to attend and also recruit the Luzon to our cause.”

“I will,” Nageki promised.

“Preferably before Tuesday of next week, for that is likely when we will need to have everything prepared on our end. On that topic,” Sakuya rounded on the quails.

“You two are in charge of advertising. I want posters up on all student noticeboards and in all student common rooms. Run an advertisement in the school paper, they should have got over their grudge by now, and have some leaflets put in the birdwatching club. Make the advertisements for...Heartful Cafe. That should be a good name.”

“Got it,” said Hitori, “And you want them before the weekend?”

“Ideally,” Sakuya replied, showing they clearly had done this before, “Use your staff privileges if you must. Do you think that's possible?”

“Yes,” Nanaki replied, “But...” He glanced at Hitori, who simply nodded. Nanaki carried on:

“Well Hitori and I had a thought. Why do our adverts only promote to female visitors?  It's a very backwards that we're sort-of promoting heterosexuality... and it's weird when none of us were or are even heterosexual ourselves.”

Nageki glanced at Sakuya. Kazuaki definitely had a point. Also Anghel would feel less alienated if all the other guests weren't ladies.

“You have a good point,” Sakuya acknowledged, “Find a way to include our openness in the advertisements. The Host Club shall no longer be a paragon of heterosexuality!

Nageki couldn't help but wonder if they were ever such a thing. He did not share this thought with Ryouta however when he got home from school. At first, he was too busy worrying that Ryouta would object to being taken out of a paid job as a maid waitress and being put into a non-paying one full of noblebirds. However he was then asked by Ryouta, how everybirdie was whilst he was doing the washing up. Nageki took this opportunity to tell him about the host club's plans for the coming weeks. He didn’t seem affronted by the idea. In fact Ryouta seemed rather amused.

“I’d be happy to give Sakuya a few hints and tips,” he chuckled, as Nageki passed him clean crockery to dry. Hiyoko was out in her biker gang so it would be just the two of them this evening. This left them plenty of time to talk about things that otherwise would make them feel like they were excluding her.

“I kind of want to show them all what’s-what after they’ve given you so much grief,” Ryouta continued jovially.

“That you don’t have to be a noblebird to be a good host?” Nageki asked, passing him another plate, “Or that you are not so easily intimidated?”

“Bit of both,” Ryouta  shrugged, “Meaning no offence, but it’ll be good to have those noblebirds see a commoner who’s not a tragic figure.”

“No offence taken,” said Nageki, flicking bubbles at Ryouta nevertheless.  He gave a small shriek and ungainly wobble. Nageki smiled before going back to the dishes. He wasn’t just a tragic figure!

Ryouta’s arrival at St PigeoNations Academy for the Wealthy, Gifted and Noisy came with a surprising amount of fanfare. For one, the remaining members of the Host Club really wanted to meet him within school hours. They had all met him before, but for some reason meeting him in a school environment was completely different to meeting him in his home.  Sakuya especially wanted to meet him. Though Nageki had the feeling this was mostly because he wanted Ryouta’s guidance on his new maid café, not out of any yearning for familiarity. Yet it wasn’t just the host club that was excited to see Ryouta. Their guests had somehow got wind that “Nageki’s big brother – from the family who adopted him of course!” had entered the school. Ryouta came home after his first day saying he kept getting stared at from behind corners or in the school changing rooms. The attention was mostly from females though a few male birds had looked too.  Ryouta said he didn’t mind but asked Nageki why his guests should find him so interesting.

“I haven’t mentioned you to them.” Nageki promised, “It must have somehow got around, maybe it was one of the other hosts. Maybe you’re an attraction at the newly-opened host club.”

“Maybe,” Ryouta had replied, sounding a little nervous as he helped Nageki hang out the laundry.

Tuesday of the following week, the second day for Ryouta at St PigeoNations, came with a transformed music room. The piano was still there. As far as Nageki could tell it was now a permanent fixture and Sakuya had grown rather attached to it. However it wasn’t just the reversion of the room back into a clubroom that caught Nageki’s attention.  Both Nageki and Ryouta were summoned there during lunch break to find the room filled with clothes mannequins and rails. Hitori and Nanaki had beaten them there, and as the doves entered, it appeared the couple were giggling about something to do with fish net tights.  Nageki let them do this, turning his attention to Sakuya instead, who was surveying the host club’s vast selection of maid attire with an air of smugness.

“This is a lot of clothing,” Ryouta announced, sounding rather amazed.

“After our conversation,” Sakuya explained, “I have decided your suggestion with the ‘iron-on transfers’ was the best idea for our café’s professional tone. We need to blend the best parts of a Host Club and a Maid Café, which means whilst we should all have similar uniforms, they shouldb e unique to each bird. Thus reflecting the Host aspect, everybirdie likes a different type of host of course.”

“Of course,” Ryouta repeated. Nageki wondered when they had talked about this. He certainly hadn’t heard it. Had he drifted off in a meeting?

“Sakuya and I have been talking through instant messaging on Flype,” Ryouta informed Nageki, noticing his confusion, “Basically, everybirdie gets to piece together their own uniform, then we iron on the Heartful Café logo to the apron. That way, we have unity with personality!” 

“It is an excellent idea,” Sakuya finished, “Now if you would both go and pick out your outfits. Oh…Nageki. Have you recruited Akagi, I mean, Higure to our cause as yet?”

“I haven’t,” Nageki admitted, “He’s been very busy. The school are paying for the publication of his manga, to buy his silence about…everything.  He’s been in meetings. He might be in the manga clubroom now though so I can go and-“ He was interrupted by Ryouta.

“Pick out your maid outfit then go and get him.”

“I can go now,” Nageki pointed out, “It won’t take long.”

“No, I think you should go and get him whilst you are wearing the maid outfit,” Ryouta chuckled, “Might get better results.”

“You are right, it would be excellent advertising!” Sakuya chipped in.  Nageki had the sneaking suspicion that wasn’t why Ryouta had suggested it.  Anghel wouldn’t care what he was wearing. Why would that affect whether he wanted to join the host club or not?  Anghel wasn’t some sort of pervert!

“Fine, but you have to help me pick out an outfit,” he informed Ryouta, “Otherwise I am going to pick the most sensible outfit I can find.”

Ryouta took this warning to heart as they moved between the rails. Heartful Café’s colours were navy blue and white, to match the school’s colours. The symbol, which Ryouta showed Nageki on the transfers, was a curly gold heart which was to be ironed onto every outfit’s apron.

“Your role in the host club is Tragic Baby Bird is it not?” Ryouta asked as he rummaged through a rail packed with dresses. Nageki could just about see Kazuaki’s tail feathers round the corner, he was wearing something far too big for him.

“Unfortunately,” Nageki replied, turning his gaze to the racks.

“Well…” Ryouta sounded contemplative before letting out an ‘aha’ of triumph.

“Frills,” he concluded, “And a large headbow. Let’s really push the innocence up a notch.”

“Is that entirely necessary?”

“You did tell me to choose for you.”

Nageki couldn’t argue with that.  He was passed a blue dress, two petticoats and a frilly apron. This was topped off with a large pale blue bow which was placed atop his head with great flourish.  Nageki noted that it was the same colour as that around his eyes.

“Perfect!” Ryouta exclaimed, “Now go and get Anghel.”

“And take some leaflets with you.” Sakuya’s voice came from two rails along, however he was obscured from sight.  

Nageki stopped by the marketing tables on his way out. He couldn’t help but note that not only was this the table that Shuu used to use as a desk, but also the shop had received a definite upgrade. It was now on a double-sided book shelf on wheels with the paper-covered volumes right at the top and the more friendly pictures in the centre.  There were still pictures of Yuuya there. Apparently the host club had gone to the beach at some point, for there he was, surfing, next to a picture of the quails building sandcastles. Nageki picked up as many leaflets as he could and then took wing, leaving those painfully happy pictures behind.

Anybirdie who stared at the speeding mourning dove in a maid dress got a leaflet dropped on them. Nageki thought it was the most efficient means of advertising.  He made it to the Manga Clubroom in good time and landed with only three leaflets remaining. Picking them up off the floor, he knocked politely on the door and entered.

The clubroom was as dark and gloomy as ever. Did they ever open the curtains? Nageki however was much better received compared to his last arrival here with a gift hamper. There were no sullen looks or mumbles of being disturbed. In fact, as he passed through the room on silent feet, the artists around him stared with open beaks, some colouring underneath their feathers.  Anghel was in his usual window seat, surrounded by papers, glass and an air of desperation. Nageki gently cleared his throat as he approached, worried that the surprise would cause a spillage of ink onto something important. Anghel looked up. He blinked. He put the Holy Spear Sae’krom down. He blinked again.

“May I have a word?” Nageki asked. A lot of the manga club were staring at them now. Nageki reckoned they knew they were a couple.

“Outside?” he insisted.

“Of course Caller.”

Anghel got to his feet, still surprisingly quiet. As they passed back through the room, Nageki left a few leaflets on the desks he passed. As they slipped silently out the door, Nageki saw the artists suddenly cluster about those exact desks.

 As soon as they were in the corridor, Anghel turned to him.

“Caller of Stars! Your garments!”

“Yes,” Nageki agreed “Yes they’re for the re-opening of the Host Club. We’re doing a maid café.”

“As the Golden Messenger would say, their aesthetic is much befitting of your form” Anghel seemed half-stunned, half-thrilled. This had quietened him down a lot.

“You should outfit yourself in ruffles for many a battle!” he insisted, “For they shall stun your enemy and allow for greater victory.”

 _See Ryouta_ , Nageki thought. Anghel wasn’t come tailfeather-crazy bird. He just seemed like ruffles a lot.

“Well,” Nageki began, “I was talking with the other hosts, and it was suggested by Sakuya that maybe we should start having an art corner in the Host Club.”

Anghel looked intrigued. Nageki wondered whether he should have asked bluntly then described the art corner, it sort of made it look like they were bribing Anghel.

“So we were wondering, would you like to join the Host Club?” Nageki continued, “You can still work on your manga whenever you want, and the club will pay for all your supplies.  You will most likely have guests working around you and all you have to do is give art tips or chat with them occasionally.”

There was a moment of silence in which Anghel seemed too dumb-struck to speak.  Nageki worried that he might have gone about this the wrong way. Maybe Anghel would not want to leave his desk in the shadowy manga room? Maybe he wouldn’t like all the social interaction involved with being a host? Perhaps he didn’t want to be put in strange costumes each week?

“You have grown mighty during your trials at the Halls of Exquisite Infamy,” Anghel mused aloud, “Mighty in the practice of uniting the arms of an Unbending Will and a Steadfast Heart. Is this due to the unity of the brethren or the blessings of the guests?”

“Both,” Nageki answered, despite the fact Anghel seemed to be talking to himself, “The host club are supportive of each other, and getting compliments from the guests does help with self-esteem a great deal.”

“And the Exquisite Brethren wish for me enter their halls? They do not think my quest too… extraordinary to take place within their halls?”

He seemed to be having a hard time believing that the host club wanted to be around him.  Judging by their past treatment of him, this was understandable. However things had changed, they had new members, and Nageki himself had made it plain that he wasn’t going to stand it if Anghel was mistreated.

“We do, I do,” he said, trying to fill his voice with as much sincerity as possible. He offered Anghel a wing to hold. Anghel took it.

“Sakuya’s learning to get off his high perch, but I’m certain the rest of the host club would gang up on him if he did anything nasty. Besides, I could put a word in and get your area put next to mine. Whatever role I take, I can make my voice heard.” _Especially if it’s for you_ went unsaid but it was firmly implied in his tone.

“I-I would like that very much.” Anghel was holding onto Nageki’s wing with both of his own, he seemed a little overcome.  They stood there in silence for a moment, Nageki allowing Anghel some quiet as he settled his emotions and sorted out his thoughts on the matter. It did not take long.

“The Fell Hall of Chaos and Creation tolerates the presence of my epic but no longer do I need to be shackled to their throes of Deadlines or Restrictions!” Anghel suddenly announced. He made Nageki jump with the sudden increase in volume, causing the mourning dove’s bow to fall off the top of his head. Anghel let go and bent over to pick it up, placing it back on Nageki.

“My epic is being spread across the plane and thus I can choose my own environment! I shall enter the Hall of Exquisite Brethren and reap the Golden Light of Worth alongside the Phosphorescent Astrologer!” He struck a heroic pose, one wing pointing skywards, the other at his side.

“That’s great,” Nageki replied, “Would you like to come to the clubroom and choose your outfit for the maid café?”

“I too can dress as prettily?”  Anghel didn’t seem to be object, in fact he was now bouncing on the spot. Was that a sign of excitement?

“We’re all going to be maids,” Nageki informed him, “You get to choose your own personal version of the uniform, so-“

He didn’t need to say anymore.

“Let us make haste to dress in this exquisite cosplay!”

“Anghel, wait up, we’re not cos-!” It was too late. Nageki took wing and chased him through the school back up to the music room.  Anghel, being the faster as always, was already between the rails when he returned.

“It went well then,” Sakuya commented as Nageki leaned against the wall, out of breath.

“He’s very happy to join.”

Very happy seemed like something of an understatement.  The closer they got to the grand re-opening of the host club, the more bouncy Anghel became. Excitement was running high throughout the entire host club. Sakuya was running hither and thither, making sure for the umpteenth time that the caterers knew which kitchen had been assigned to them and that the janitor would promise to keep the passageway between the kitchens and the conference hall completely clear.  Hitori had made The King, Kazuaki’s strange plush doll-thing, a frilly headdress and an apron of his own to match those the host club would be wearing. Nageki couldn’t help but note the quails had gone for rather different maid outfits. Hitori’s was a little shorter than the others and he had opted for a large ribbon bow rather than a frilly headdress. Kazuaki’s dress was far longer than Nageki’s and Ryouta’s, but shorter than Sakuya’s. Nageki thought Sakuya honestly looked like more of a housekeeper than a maid.  However he wasn’t an expert on these things.

Nageki helped the caterers set up the conference hall into a café. He was assigned a step-ladder and some bunting, which resulted in Ryouta continually hovering nervously under the stepladder rather than doing his own duties.  Anghel also made deliberate efforts to drift over to his side of the room to make sure ‘the Caller would not plunge from a great height’. Nageki was therefore taken down and given doilies instead for being too great a distraction.

They had a photo-shoot on Thursday.  Anghel chose this day to customise his outfit with some accessories from home, resulting in a rather gothic maid being added to their midst. On Friday morning their merchandise arrived at the clubroom. These consisted of teacups, stationary and a wide collection of photos in different sizes, taken the day before. Ryouta arranged the shop in one corner and Nageki couldn’t help notice he had included a large brown bag in his preparations. 

Considering the rest of the merchandise had come in large official-looking white boxes, this seemed odd.  Whatever he was taking out the bag was also wrapped in something brown, probably paper. It wasn’t the same glossy paper as the not safe for work pictures in the usual store. It was something else. Was he advertising Merry Feather? That was the only suspicious thing he could think of Ryouta doing... He was swiftly distracted when Sakuya came to ask him if the large flower display had been put in the conference room. This display, Nageki had gathered, was Sakuya’s memorial to Yuuya. They had planned to keep his table in the corner but to cover the seats and table with potted flowers, making sure everybirdie remembered who he was and what he once did. Once it had been officially announced that he was dead of course. It hadn’t yet. For now however, Sakuya had arranged some sort of grand bouquet to sit in Heartful Café. Nageki had yet to see it for it was in fact Ryouta’s responsibility and he was to direct the florists in during morning break. His brother hadn’t mentioned it to him though. Which was strange, Nageki thought.

Yet Ryouta’s behaviour grew stranger and stranger as the day progressed. He refused to sit with Nageki at lunch. They had eaten together every day since Ryouta had joined but today…Ryouta didn’t even turn up at the canteen. Nageki sat with Anghel so he wasn’t lonely. Yet Ryouta hadn’t even told him where he was going. He hadn’t come and said hello after class. He hadn’t even given him a sign as they were getting ready this morning. Nageki would have seen if he was making a packed lunch instead of eating the free one the school gave him. Upon mentioning all this to Anghel, they agreed to go and look in Ryouta’s homeroom class to see if he was alright. Ryouta wasn’t there. One of Ryouta’s classmates, a customer of Sakuya’s, reported that Ryouta hadn’t been in there that lunchtime. So they checked the Host Clubroom instead.

“It is unlikely he ventured homewards,” Anghel commented, “It is a great journey between here and there, not manageable by even the Great Pigeon during  a single lunchtime.”

“True, so maybe he’s in here?”

He wasn’t. Sakuya was in there playing the piano. 

“Have you not tried calling him?” was the fantail’s suggestion after they explained their situation.  This of course prompted Nageki to do so.  He didnot pick up.

“Well he has to turn up after school,” Sakuya announced, “Otherwise no one shall be very impressed with him.”

Nageki didn’t care who was impressed. He was worried. Ryouta was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. If he needed the infirmary he surely would have texted him.  So what did it mean? Why had he just vanished from the school? Should he ring Hiyoko? That would worry her and he didn’t know for sure if there was a need to be worried. It was unlikely Ryouta was in trouble but…

He left the clubroom feeling nervous. They spent the rest of the lunch break wandering the school, checking school bathrooms and passing by the infirmary. Still no sign of Ryouta was to be seen. 

As they headed back towards the main classrooms, Anghel announced:

“Caller! You are greeted by the Electronic Herald!”

Nageki heard it to. He scrabbled in his bag for his phone, the ringtone beeping loudly as he received an incoming call.

“Ryouta?!”

 _“Hey Nageki.  Are you alright?”_ It was Ryouta. He sounded fine.

“I am ok. Where were you this lunchtime? Is something the matter?”

_“Everything’s fine, sorry for alarming you. I…just had a bit of an accident is all. I dropped my phone behind the radiators in the changing rooms, had to find the janitor to get it out. It was very embarrassing.”_

There was a loud snigger from somewhere near Ryouta.  Nageki heard Ryouta say _“Shush you,”_  to whoever was with him.  Nageki wondered if that was a new friend of Ryouta’s. He didn’t know how many birds Ryouta knew in his class as yet.

“ _I’m ok, there’s no need to worry. I’ll eat something quick between class.”_

“If you say so. I’ll see you after school.”

 _“Yep! See you! Bye!”_  Ryouta hung up with a surprising amount of haste.

Well he seemed fine. If his phone was down the side of the radiator then of course he couldn’t have picked up the first call. It must have been odd, encountering Mr One for such a petty matter when last time they had met… Nageki shuddered and decided to think on it no more.  He wasn’t supposed to be thinking about that at all! Ryouta sounded fine and Nageki was content to believe this was the case. He cast all thoughts of underground terrors from his mind as he went to afternoon classes. He needed to concentrate and mentally prepare himself for later.

School ended and Nageki headed straight up to the host clubroom. The rails had been cleared and little fabric tents had been erected as changing booths. Due to the event being downstairs they were able to use the whole room for preparations rather than using the converted storeroom. When Nageki arrived, Ryouta was already there and in full costume. He was doing his make-up in a large oval mirror. This mirror, which had previously been to one side, had been placed in the doorway to the usual changing room. No one would be going in there so it wasn’t a problem. Yet Nageki couldn’t help but think it a little odd.

“Sorry about earlier,” Ryouta called out as Nageki grabbed his outfit from the remaining rack.

“It was an accident, I understand,” he replied before going into one of the tents to get changed.  He was feeling surprisingly calm about this. Perhaps it was because he’d worked in an actual maid café, and for once was one of the more experienced hosts at this event. Whatever it was, dressing up proved unproblematic and he didn’t even grumble that he was probably wearing more frills than the rest of the host club combined. When he was done, he left the tent to see that Anghel had arrived already, as had Hitori. Kazuaki was the last to come, having taught a class during the last period. Sakuya, who had come a narrow second, resumed his familiar bossy-stance, making sure everybirdie knew what they were doing. They did know. They didn’t really want to hear it all again. However they didn’t want to burst his bubble. Sakuya seemed to be the most uncomfortable in his costume so they let him carry on in his usual authoritative manner in the hopes this would inspire some confidence in him.

During everybirdie’s preparations, Ryouta had not moved away from the mirror by the door.  He had shifted slightly when Sakuya came to ask him where the Host Club’s digital camera was. The response was that Kazuaki had it, and he intended to make use of it.

“One more group photograph!” he called as everyone milled about, finishing their make-up or simply waiting for the time to come.

“All the host club should have a fun picture together to celebrate coming back together, and all the new faces too!”

There was a general murmur of agreement about the room. Nanaki put the camera on top of the piano and they shuffled into place with much jostling and ruffling of feathers.

“Who is going to set the timer?” asked Sakuya, “As I recall, it only allows a count of three.

“I forgot it was rubbish,” Hitori moaned, adjusting his headbow and almost hitting Kazuaki, “We might have a problem, I don’t think anybirdie here can hurry back that fast.”

“ _Au contraire!_ ”

There was a loud thunk as the oval mirror was sent toppling to the ground.  In its wake was silence as the hosts turned, as one, towards their usual changing room. In the doorway, coquettishly leaning upon the frame, was a fantail dove.  A fantail dove in the skimpiest maid uniform Nageki had ever seen in his life. Not that that was important right now…

“SAKAZAKI!” An anguished cry rent the silence as Sakuya all-but flew across the room, a mess of lace and tail feathers. The other hosts seemed too stunned by this sudden appearance to do anything but gawk. Nageki felt as if he’d lost his entire vocabulary in one fell swoop. What could he say? What was there to say? This was…a miracle!

“SAKAZAKI!”

“Sakuya,” said the beaming fantail, “Sakuya, you’re right to be-“

Sakuya was not going to let him get a word in.

“YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!”

“Aah but why would I wish to be dead? I would miss my darling little brother’s period of character development! I can play dead if you pref-”

“DON’T YOU DARE!”

There were gasps as Sakuya lunged and grabbed at his brother. Yuuya spluttered mid-sentence but he still managed to choke out:

“Erm Sakuya…  Are you attempting to hug me or strangle me?”

“I’m-I’m attempting to strangle you, god damn it!”

“Oh ok, just checking,” Yuuya chuckled, hugging his little brother back as his eyes began to fill with tears. Sakuya was crying into the heart-shaped bodice of Yuuya’s dress as the two brothers embraced tightly.  Nageki watched on, feeling relief and joy in equal measure. Yuuya was alive. Yuuya was fully and unmistakably alive! Nageki wasn’t responsible for his death! How could he be? Yuuya had never died!  Everything had turned out well and nobirdie was dead and Nageki had not doomed his friends at all! This…this was not merely relief, this was euphoria!

“Textoris Melodia Funeris is cunning indeed,” Anghel commented, putting a wing round Nageki. A glance a nearer mirror told Nageki he looked like he was about to cry too.

“Textoris Melodia-?” It took a moment for Nageki’s mind to catch up.

“Ryouta?” he realised, “What did Ryouta…” It dawned on him.

“Ryouta!” he gasped, rounding on his brother, “You knew!”

The rock dove gave a very awkward shrug.

“I’m sorry, I wanted to tell you, I really did,” he said, “I knew you were tearing yourself up over it but…I knew you couldn’t keep it from Sakuya. Yuuya told me that Sakuya couldn’t know. Not until you had given him the letter and he was ready to see him again.  We met completely by accident, at the hospital Mother is in. Yuuya chose the moment to come back though. He wasn’t going to miss the maid café.”

“A maid café In my honour no less!” Yuuya exclaimed, swanning over to the rest of the hosts, Sakuya attached.

“Really you spoil my memory. I should die tragically more often!”

“You are forbidden to make any more death jokes!” Sakuya proclaimed, stepping away and folding his wings, trying to look his regular amount of cross. However everyone had seen him cry, there was no getting away from that.

“And-and that dress is hardly appropriate for anywhere! Where did you get it? Love Nest dot com?”

“Why yes, exactly there,” Yuuya replied, “Been doing a little research into maid costumes have you? Well judging by Hitori’s fishnets you must have pooled all your resources!”

“I like them,” Hitori commented, sounding amused.

“I like them too,” Kazuaki added.

“Well now you’ve gone and ruined my make-up!” Sakuya huffed, still trying to act tough, “Kawara, help me. You seem to be somewhat responsible for this mess!”

“Fair enough.”  Ryouta went to go and help him without much of a fight.

Yuuya turned to Nageki as everybirdie continued to either stare at him or Sakuya.  He offered his wings for a hug. Detaching himself from Anghel, Nageki accepted the gesture, mumbling:

“You’re alive.”

“Sure am,” Yuuya replied gently, “And everything that happened back there? Not your fault.  Not at all.  It’s me that should be offering the apologies here.”

“For what?” Nageki asked, “You were manipulated by Shuu. He was going to reveal your true relation to Sakuya.”

It was Yuuya’s turn to look stunned.

“I’m quite clever you know, being a scholarship student,” Nageki  gave a little laugh that betrayed how close he was to crying.

“How could I forget?” Yuuya replied, with a similarly shaky laugh, “You’re a wild rose, a brave champion of the common world, a rare-breed of honoured commoner!”

Nageki’s laugh was a little more genuine this time as Yuuya gently fixed his headbow back into place. All those comments from the first day in the host club seemed so ridiculous in hindsight. At the time this place had terrified him. He had thought he was being hounded by monsters. He had believed every noblebird to be a looming predator, each dove or quail a bird of prey. Yet after all, they were his friends. He had so many friends when he thought his time at this school would be a long course of staying quiet and keeping his head down as much as possible. He thought he would be ostracised, class differences keeping him from forming any relationships at all. Yet he had friends, he had a boyfriend even! He got to spend his school days with Ryouta, he got to eat lunch with those who cared for his happiness, with those he cared for back! This was far better than he could ever have dreamt. If there was anywhere he could grow up to be a better bird, surely it was here, surrounded by the kind and enthusiastic. And if they got a bit too much? Well there were always the weekends, and some noise-cancelling headphones for use in the library.

“I don’t want to ruin the moment,” Hitori announced loudly, “But we’re due down in five. Shouldn’t we head off?”  

There were murmurs of agreement. The hosts made quick last minute adjustments. Ribbons were tugged, feathers were preened, and head-dresses were pushed back into place. With an assertion of his authority, Sakuya led a parade of be-maided hosts out of the clubroom door, Yuuya bringing up the rear.  Nageki couldn’t help but smile as they left a trail of stunned students in their wake, passing through the corridors in a procession of pleats of lace. The Hatoful High School Host Club was here.

The Hatoful High School Host Club was open for business at last!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for joining me in the adventure that started as a joke. A joke that got thought out far too much. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment to tell me what you think. Comments are writing fuel and I'm always happy to produce more writing for enthusiastic reviewers c:
> 
> I have more Hatoful fic for you to enjoy!  
> If you like pirates, there's Fools Gold, featuring Hatoful characters on the high seas.  
> If you like domestic fluff and band AUs, there's Absolute Buttons.  
> If you like heart-wrenching tragedy and Absolute Zero, there's When the Stars Fall, the next multi-chapter fic I will be posting. The first chapter of which will be uploaded shortly!  
> If not, watch this space, there is much to come!

**Author's Note:**

> Though the birdies here mostly act like themselves, the initial character parallels were these:
> 
> Tamaki - Sakuya  
> Hikaru and Kaoru - Yuuya (yes by himself)  
> Mori- Hitori  
> Honey- Nanaki  
> Kyouya - Shuu  
> Renge - Tohri  
> Nekozawa - Anghel  
> Hiyoko and Ryouta appear as themselves.
> 
> (More parallels to come when those characters enter the story)


End file.
